Mercedes’ team photographer Paul Ripke has decided to leave the title-winning F1 outfit after falling out with six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, according to GPBlog.

Nico Rosberg’s manager brought Ripke in to chronicle the 2016 season, which would turn out to be the German’s final year in F1. It was also the year he won his first and only Drivers’ Championship.

Ripke stayed on, but according to Bild newspaper, as per GPBlog, he has decided that Abu Dhabi will be his final race with Mercedes.

“My first race after the summer break was Monza,” he explained.

“I tried to do some things differently, but it did not work out well for everyone.

“Then came Singapore and Mexico and at some point I realised that I was unhappy and did not want to be the team photographer anymore.”

Ripke admitted that part of the issue was his strained relationship with Lewis Hamilton.

“This year is not easy with Lewis,” he revealed.

He does not really know what he wants or what he should do with social media.

“And if he doesn’t know that, then I’m not quite right for him. The relationship is not what it once was."

Hamilton’s falling out with Ripke certainly hasn’t affected his form on the track as the 34-year-old Brit clinched his sixth world championship at the US Grand Prix in Austin on November 3.

With just two rounds remaining, Hamilton has recorded 10 wins, 16 podiums and four pole positions in what has been a record-breaking season for the Stevenage-born driver.