Formula One drivers may be among the best paid sportsmen in the world, but that did not stop them from splitting the bill 18 ways following their dinner in Shanghai on Wednesday night.

Lewis Hamilton, who last year signed a £100 million three-year contract with Mercedes, said he picked the restaurant – an Italian called The Kitchen – and laid down the deposit for a meal which all but four of the grid attended.

But when it came to who picked up the bill, he claimed his offer to pay was shot down by his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

“It was a little bit silly really, ridiculous because someone said, ‘Let's share the bill’, so 18 drivers shared a bill which is just insane,” Hamilton said with a smile. “We all got a receipt, 18 receipts, 18 credit cards, it was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. I have never seen anything like that before.”

Asked who made that suggestion, Hamilton replied: “I am pretty sure it was Nico.”

When Hamilton’s version of events was then put to his Mercedes team-mate, Rosberg said. “Really? Interesting. From what I can remember, the hidden agreement usually is that the world champion pays, but that might just be my opinion.”