Lewis Hamilton has denied Christian Horner’s claims that he reached out to Red Bull over a potential switch from Mercedes.
++Djokovic expresses his dissatisfaction with the Davis Cup format and calls for changes
Red Bulls’ principal Christian Horner claimed in an interview with the Daily Mail this Wednesday (22) that a representative of Hamilton had approached the team earlier this year, before he signed his two-year contract renewal with Mercedes in August.
++Manchester United and England defender Luke Shaw returns to training after injury
“We have had several conversations over the years about Lewis joining. They have reached out a few times. Most recently, earlier in the year, there was an inquiry about whether there would be any interest”, said Horner. He also suggested that Hamilton meet with Ferrari chairman John Elkann. Back in May, Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur dismissed reports that they had offered Hamilton a big-money deal for him to join the Italian team.
This Thursday (23), ahead of this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton denied the claims. “I don’t really know where that story has come from. I mean I know it’s come from Christian. I don’t really understand what he’s been talking about because no one, as far as I’m aware, from my team has spoken to him. I haven’t spoken to Christian really in years”. But he revealed that Horner was the one who reached out to him.
“However, he did reach out to me earlier on in the year about meeting up, but that’s it. I just congratulated them on an amazing year and said, ‘hopefully soon, I’ll be able to fight against you guys in the near future.’ That was it. So I’m not really sure, I think he’s just stirring things”, said Hamilton.
Red Bull driver Max Vertsappen was asked about the possibility of Hamilton joining him in the future, but played down the chances of this happening. “I don’t know because it’s not happening. There’s no point to make up stories ‘if, if’. It’s not happening”. Asked about whether he would want Lewis as his teammate, he added “I wouldn’t mind. It doesn’t matter, anyone. I don’t want to put it particularly on Lewis. There are so many great drivers as well. Sometimes it doesn’t work out like that”.