Niki Lauda has rubbished a claim that Red Bull pushed Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton so hard in Malaysia that it caused the Briton's engine to fail.
Dr Helmut Marko told F1's official website that Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were so competitive at Sepang that it "very likely forced [Hamilton] into that engine failure".
F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Lauda told Auto Motor und Sport: "I have never heard such nonsense.
"I do always admire Helmut's optimism. I think he always tries to find reasons why he would have won."
Indeed, Lauda said that Hamilton would have easily won last Sunday if his engine had not failed, as the Mercedes package had plenty in reserve.
"The fact that Nico [Rosberg] pulled himself up from last place to third place is the only evidence you need," he said.
The season continues in Japan this weekend.
