Win at all costs not for me, says Hamilton

Jordan was widely quoted last week as questioning whether Hamilton had the necessary 'steely' determination needed to make it to the very top of the sport.

But speaking in Monaco on Wednesday, Hamilton said that he did not agree that drivers necessarily needed a 'win at all costs' approach if they were to be successful.

"I don't know if I particularly believe that 'win at all costs' is the way forward," said Hamilton. "For sure, we are here to win, so you prepare yourself and you work as hard as you can, but I don't particularly agree with win at all costs. Sure, every driver has a different way to look at it."

Hamilton has surprised almost everyone in the sport with the manner in which he has excelled this season. And that form has prompted widespread talk that the relationship between himself and teammate Fernando Alonso is getting strained because of their rivalry.

Hamilton has made it clear, however, that he has no problems with Alonso and he insists that the mood within the team is harmonious.

"I don't think it's changed," he said of their relationship. "I think with the team, the relationship grows constantly. I've been at McLaren for a long, long time, and it just gets better and better.

"We're very much working extremely hard together to succeed and it's going extremely well at the moment so, as you can see, it's getting better and better. I think with me and Fernando the relationship is growing.

"We're sort of starting to understand each other. Obviously we've got a huge amount of respect for each other as we always have. But it's doing fine."

When asked whether his relationship with Alonso was a rivalry or like that of a master-pupil, Hamilton said: "I never actually thought it was a master-pupil thing to be honest. I think that as in every team, there's a little bit of rivalry there but that's only on the track.

"We're professionals. Off the track we're friends, we can talk, we're relaxed, there's no tension there."