British GP: Lewis Hamilton can't learn from Nico Rosberg's data

Lewis Hamilton says that he will not be able to gain much from Nico Rosberg's British Grand Prix free practice data following his own Mercedes stopping with an engine problem

Hamilton missed out on the final part of second practice after his car shut down just after he left the pits, meaning Mercedes only had Rosberg's car to perform long-run work with in the closing stages.

Amid speculation that the Mercedes team-mates have tried to avoid sharing certain parts of their data during Formula 1 weekends this year, Hamilton said on Friday that their differing driving styles mean there is not a lot that he and Rosberg can learn from each other.

"The long run data doesn't really help in the sense that we drive differently," Hamilton told reporters in the Silverstone paddock after the second session, which he topped.

"It doesn't help you in the sense of understanding how the tyres are lasting, and whether you need to put the car into more understeer or oversteer, whether you need to move the brake balance, which corners you want to lift and coast.

"All those different things you need to practice. It makes it really hard, but I'll be OK.

"I don't know why things happen to my car so much. We'll fix it, but I really needed a long run.

"Now I don't know what the car is going to feel like for the race."

Rosberg played down suggestions that the Mercedes drivers were not sharing all of their information.

"We have to think about the team in the first instance and everything is open. We share everything.

"We're dominating the sport because we've managed to work together really well.

"Of course there comes a point where I am fighting him, and at that point I will try to keep certain advantages, as he will too.

"We always try to keep an advantage over each other, but never compromising the team as a whole. It's a fine line."