Nico Rosberg has hit back at his teammate Lewis Hamilton, after the Briton said next weekend's German Grand Prix is "not really his home race."
F1 now heads from Hamilton's home turf at Silverstone to Hockenheim, where German-born Rosberg might expect similar levels of local support.
Not so, Hamilton told reporters, as Rosberg has a Finnish father and he grew up and still lives in Monaco.
"To be honest, Nico has never actually been in Germany, so it is not really his home race," said Hamilton. "When I was racing in karting he didn't stand with the grid girl next to a German flag ever. He always stood by Monaco."
29-year-old Rosberg was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, and his mother is German. His famous father Keke, however, is Finnish, and Rosberg has spent most of his life in Monaco and still lives in the Principality.
"I know he has grown up in Monaco, so Monaco is his hometown," Hamilton insisted.
"He is German, Finnish, Monegasque or whatever, so he will get that support in Monaco and in Germany he has always had great support there. It is always good to beat others on their home turf," he added.
On Facebook, meanwhile, big soccer fan Rosberg celebrated Germany's 7-1 win over Brazil in the world cup semi-final by posting a photo of himself in a room littered with Germany-themed flags and memorabilia.
And when asked about Hamilton's comments after testing at Silverstone on Tuesday, Rosberg said: "Anyone can judge however they want.
"What do you want me to say?"
He admitted he might not be as German as Hamilton is British "because I didn't grow up in Germany, but I consider myself 100 percent German."
Meanwhile, Hamilton rankled at a reported comment by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after Silverstone that, following his Silverstone retirement, Rosberg offered Hamilton a piece of advice, or a 'tip', en route to Hamilton's victory.
"Toto said that?" Hamilton responded, joking: "That's good. Toto likes being on that side of the garage."
