Kimi Raikkonen says he didn't get involved last season when Romain Grosjean was having problems as it was "not my business".
Teaming up at Lotus for the first time last year, both Raikkonen and Grosjean showed an impressive turn of pace.
But while the Finn's culminated in the Abu Dhabi victory, Grosjean's resulted in a one-race ban after one too many incidents of crashing into his rivals.
Asked whether he had stepped in to offer his team-mate advice during the tumultuous time, Raikkonen told the official F1 website: "It is not my business so I kept out of it. I am not here to explain what to do.
"Everybody has his own way of doing things and you cannot so easily adapt that for somebody else. He had a tough time, but sometimes that happens. That's life."
Asked whether he was 'not the Jedi master taking an apprentice under his wings', Raikkonen responded: "This is not Hollywood - this is Formula One. I try to figure out my own stuff."
And one of the things Raikkonen wants to figure out this season is how to win the World title as he believes Lotus have a chance - "otherwise you wouldn't be here.
"Sure you have to be realistic about your chances, but after last year we should have a chance.
"We don't have the budget, but if we get it right and can be consistent and reliable then we probably can put ourselves in a position where at least we do have a chance.
"We will try, but I'm not making promises."
