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Monaco Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton Ready For Nico Rosberg Scrap

Hamilton Relishing Rosberg Scrap Ahead Of Monaco
The Huffington Post UK/PA
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Lewis Hamilton says he is relishing his Formula One scrap with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg ahead of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

Hamilton heads to the south of France at the top of his game after a run of four successive victories.

Despite such domination, Hamilton only has a three-point cushion to Rosberg after a mechanical failure in Australia brought his season-opening race to a premature end.

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Hamilton is bidding to win a fifth successive Grand Prix in Monaco on Sunday

It means every point is precious and every shred of detail vital if the 29-year-old Briton is to win his second world championship.

Asked whether this was the toughest scrap he had encountered in F1, Hamilton said: "Definitely, I would say so.

"It's the same for Nico because I see his data, which makes it so hard for either of us to get any advantage at all. It would almost make sense to copy his set up. You could if you wanted to, just do exactly the same, and then it would just depend on ability.

"But I'm pretty sure we'll keep sharing data. That's how it works in all the teams. At McLaren it was the same. So that will continue, which means you've always got to keep working at getting your set-up right.

Hamilton in Monaco
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(01 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP leads his team mate Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP and the rest of the field round the hairpin at the start of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(02 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(03 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP leads his team mate Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP and the rest of the field round the hairpin at the start of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(04 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Women sunbath as Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa drives past during the third practice session at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo on May 25, 2013 ahead of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER KLEIN (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Women sunbath during the third practice session at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo on May 25, 2013 ahead of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER KLEIN (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
AUTO-PRIX-F1-MONACO-MCO-PRACTICE(07 of19)
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Women sunbath as Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa drives past during the third practice session at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo on May 25, 2013 ahead of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER KLEIN (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(08 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(09 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP leads his team mate Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP and the rest of the field round the hairpin at the start of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(10 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(11 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(12 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(13 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP leads his team mate Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP and the rest of the field at the start of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(14 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Red Bull Racing's German driver Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing's Australian driver Mark Webber and Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drive at the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo on May 26, 2013. AFP PHOTO / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET (Photo credit should read JEAN CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo on May 26, 2013. AFP PHOTO / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET (Photo credit should read JEAN CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(17 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Race(18 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Qualifying(19 of19)
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: (EDITORS NOTE: A POLARIZING FILTER WAS USED IN THE CREATION OF THIS IMAGE) Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the final practice session prior to qualifying for the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

"We saw that in the last race in Spain. If you are just off, as I was, and the other guy gets it right, you see the balance changes between the drivers. That's what I've got to work on.

"Overall, though, this team has the potential to be the best. In fact we are already there, but we can't take it for granted - we've got to keep working and improving, which we will do."

In winning all five races to date, there is talk of Mercedes sweeping the board for the first time in the sport's history.

McLaren came close in 1988 when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won 15 of the 16 grands prix that season.

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