Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff has admitted that he expects the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to make things difficult for the team at some stage.

Both drivers have claimed a win just two races into the new Formula 1 season, and Wolff has confirmed that the team's hierarchy are discussing to best way to handle the battle between the pair.

"We are spending quite some time discussing those things, discussing scenarios and discussing situations," the Austrian told reporters. "It's Mercedes and it's the team that comes first, but one day it will be rubbish. It's all academic and we will run into situations where we have to manage - they are still very competitive creatures.

"The intra-team rivalry has been there since the beginning. It's been there since last January.

"What makes a difference is that these guys have known each other for such a long time and they have a fair relationship with each other, but it doesn't mean that they are not extremely competitive and that they will try to use every advantage they can."

Rosberg currently leads Hamilton by 18 points in the race for the drivers' championship.