Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has responded to Bernie Ecclestone’s claim Lewis Hamilton is 'not the racer he was' and is now potentially past his best.

Hamilton currently finds himself second in the drivers' championship, nine points adrift of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel who leads the way, having won the opening two races in Australia and Bahrain.

The Brit will also start behind Vettel in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the German secured his third consecutive pole position, piling more pressure on the defending champion.

Ecclestone said: “He doesn’t seem to be the Lewis that he was before. I don’t know whether it’s me - but when you talk to him and see him act the way he acts generally, he’s not the racer he was.

“He’s still very quick, still super talented, still a super nice guy. But maybe he’s just getting a little bit tired of travelling and he’s fed up with things.”

However, Wolff put to bed these claims by hinting Ecclestone is just making news.

“It's Bernie! I just had a game of backgammon against him and I lost," Wolff said, per Sky Sports.

"He comes in and throws a hand-grenade and it's in the papers - it's great.

"How the news runs these days we are oscillating between exuberance and depression, and back again, and when things are not going in the right direction it's doom days and when you win two races in a row it's the 'Mercedes dominance destroying the sport'.

“Maybe it's somewhere in the middle. Lewis is remarkably easy with these kind of things.”

Wolff proceeded to respect Ecclestone's views but hinted his comments must be taken with a pinch of salt.

“All of us very much respect Bernie, but we have also learnt to take the comments with a smile. It's the same way he does it” Wolf added.

Given how Ecclestone has regularly found ways to criticise the sport he used to run since Liberty Media took charge, it's hard not to agree with Wolff.

At the moment is does feel like Ecclestone is simply poking the fire for the sake of it. 

Mercedes are still in search for their first victory of the season, but may fancy their chances in Baku, with Bottas starting just one place further back than his teammate in third.