British Grand Prix: Niki Lauda forced to apologise to world champion Lewis Hamilton after branding him a liar over Nico Rosberg relationship
Lauda says his comments have been misunderstood and blown out of proportion after sensational claims
NIKI LAUDA has been forced into an embarrassing apology to Lewis Hamilton after his explosive TV comments about the Brit "destroying" his dressing room and calling him a liar.
SunSport has learnt that Hamilton was stunned by Lauda's comments which he made Red Bull-owned channel, Servus TV.
Lauda has since spoken to Hamilton to reassure the Brit that his comments were taken out of context.
And the three-time world champion asked his Mercedes team to release a grovelling statement where he says he regrets his remarks.
The statement said: "Following his appearance on a television discussion show on Servus TV recorded prior to last weekend's Austrian GP, Niki Lauda would like to set the record straight and state the following:
"Lewis Hamilton did not in any way damage a hotel room or his private driver room at the circuit during the race weekend in Baku; and Lewis Hamilton did not lie about his relationship with team-mate Nico Rosberg.
"Niki regrets any misunderstanding caused by comments that have been blown wildly out of proportion compared with the casual context in which they were made."
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Lauda has claimed that Hamilton was going to "destroy everything" in frustration at crashing out and missing pole at the European GP.
He also said "Lewis lied" about comments made in a Sunday newspaper that he and enemy Nico Rosberg were growing closer and had mellowed as they grew older.
Hamilton has now brushed off the incident and was all smiles on Wendesday as he visited sponsors Petronas and karted with a few employees in Worcester.
And team insiders say the world champion is in relaxed mood ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix.
However, Hamilton and Rosberg will have another meeting with their Merc bosses on Thursday to discuss the fall-out from the Austrian GP.
Head of motorsport Toto Wolff was furious when the two clashed on the final lap and will again warn them about their future conduct.
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DAMON HILL believes Nico Rosberg has finally discovered his ruthless streak.
The 1996 world champion says he has seen a change in the German's character since Lewis Hamilton passed him to win the title in Austin in October.
And Hill says that if Rosberg does go on to clinch his world title, then he would fully deserve it.
And Sky Sport F1's Hill said: "There has been a hardening of his attitude since last year when he clearly felt aggrieved at a couple of things that happened with Lewis.
"It appeared to me that the nice guy decided he wasn't going to nice any more at some point.
"That seemed to be clear from after Texas and he went on to dominate. He won everything from then to the early part of this year.
"I think he realises that if he gives Lewis an inch then Lewis will take it.
"He knows also that one pure pace Lewis will have him so he's going to have to do what he needs to do to win.
"Nico has found some confidence from somewhere and was determined he wasn't going to get beaten again.
"And if he wins the championship this year it'll be because of the fact that while the cat was away the mouse started to play quite a lot.
"It was an open opportunity that he took with both hands. And he worked really hard at it.
"He does understand his job completely. Lewis has an abundance of talent and relies on that, draws on it.
"Occasionally we've seen times when he's not having done perhaps as much time in simulator or spent as much time with the team and its caught him out a bit."