Nico Rosberg insists he was not driving angrily when he delivered the pole lap for the Mexican Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Rosberg was seething with Hamilton after the U.S. Grand Prix for his team-mate's aggressive pass on the inside of Turn 1 at the start of the race. After qualifying in Mexico on Saturday Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was asked what was behind Rosberg's pace by Sky Sports F1 and simply said: "Angry!"
However, Rosberg says that was not the case.
"No, definitely not!," he said when asked if he was 'driving angry'. "No differences, attack like always ... I'm not angry, that wouldn't be the approach. I just get my head down and keep going. Three more races to go, business as usual."
Though he wanted to sit down and discuss the events of Austin with Hamilton, something the world champion publicly rebuffed earlier this week, Rosberg does not think the same is necessary ahead of tomorrow's start.
"No, it's no different. It's always a good battle. What's happened between us in the past is in the past and now we move forward."
Hamilton has rebuffed Rosberg's desire to sit down and discuss the incident with the team.
The Mercedes pair look set for another confrontation into Turn 1 this weekend, with Rosberg taking his fourth consecutive pole position ahead of the newly-crowned world champion.
Rosberg has failed to convert any of his last three pole positions into victories, with Hamilton passing him decisively in Japan and the U.S. The German says pole is only half of the job and is wary of the long run down to the first corner.
"It's a good start, for sure, starting from pole. It's a long run down to Turn 1 so its going to be an exciting battle. I'm sure we have an exciting battle and a good race car. It will be interesting tyre-wise, there was some stuff going on on Friday which is going to be not so easy to handle in the race I think. But we prepared well but we're ready for it."