Hamilton likely to face disciplinary action for defying team orders at Abu Dhabi GP

Mercedes are considering taking disciplinary action against three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton after he deliberately backed team-mate Nico Rosberg to try and keep hold of his Formula One world championship at Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, confirmed Toto Wolff.

The German needed at least a third-place finish to secure the crown, but Hamilton slowed down deliberately to allow Verstappen and Vettel catch Rosberg. The British ace twice ignored an order to speed up in his duel in the desert with Rosberg in a bid to snatch a fourth drivers' crown.

The Briton's tactics caused an unwelcome headache for the Mercedes hierarchy in the pit lane, and even led executive director Paddy Lowe to radio Hamilton in an effort to speed him up.

With Ferrari's Vettel closing in on much fresher tyres, Wolff's team feared they would lose the race win.

"Undermining a structure in public means you are putting yourself before the team," Wolff was quoted as saying by the Independent. "It is very simple. Anarchy does not work in any team and in any company."

The Mercedes boss also said he would think over before deciding whether to punish the three-time world champion, adding that he accepted that part of what makes the Briton so good is his relentless desire to win at all costs.

"The other half of me says it was Lewis's only chance of winning the championship at the stage, and maybe you cannot demand a racing driver that is one of the best, if not the best out there, to comply in a situation where his instincts cannot make him comply," Wolff said.

"It is about finding a solution as to how to solve that in the future because a precedent has been set. Let me sleep overnight and come up with a solution," he added.

The Briton's contract runs out in 2018 but that would not stop Mercedes ending it early or suspending him from races next season as a punishment.