Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has lifted the lid on Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's relationship, saying there is nothing personal between the two title rivals in F1 this season.

The Mercedes and Red Bull stars have been going hammer and tongs from the very get-go this year and, perhaps naturally given how close they have been to one another on the circuit on frequent occasion, the two have collided more than once this season.

Monza and Silverstone, of course, saw the two biggest incidents and many onlookers suggested that such moments would take their rivalry to a perhaps more acrimonious level but the pair have done well to keep a rein on things and Bottas has said that neither feels it's particularly personal between them.

“I don’t think it is anything personal," said Bottas.

"That is my view and for sure, if you are on the podium after a race that you have been wheel to wheel with someone, you still have that adrenaline and it might feel like tension but that is completely normal in this sport so for me it is all normal.

“If I look at Turkey, I saw them having a chat and thought everything was normal," Bottas explained.

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"It is competition and when you are competing hard on track you are not trying to make friends but Lewis and Max, they are both adults so they know that is the name of the game."

The Finn departs Mercedes at the end of this season for Alfa Romeo but knows his job with the Silver Arrows is not done yet.

He'll be tasked with backing Hamilton up and helping his team win another Constructors' title in the final five races, and we'll soon see how they're going to do.