Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes Lewis Hamilton’s entourage didn’t speak only to Red Bull over a possible seat in the future, with him believing that it’s “not rocket science” as to why the seven-time World Champion was looking around.
Ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi, it was revealed by Horner to the Daily Mail that a member of Hamilton’s team had contacted him earlier this year, in regard to a potential switch.
Hamilton immediately denied that his entourage had spoken to Horner and that it was actually the Red Bull boss who approached him.
Horner later added during the season finale that it was Hamilton’s father, Anthony Hamilton, who made contact with him; however, he’s actually not been part of the Mercedes driver’s team since 2010.
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“We have had several conversations over the years about Lewis joining,” Horner told the Daily Mail. “They have reached out a few times. Most recently, earlier in the year, there was an inquiry about whether there would be any interest.”
Unsurprisingly, Max Verstappen was asked about Horner’s comments and whether he’d accept Hamilton as a teammate, something he didn’t see the point discussing as it’s never going to happen.
Hamilton racing for Red Bull would certainly be a spectacle and would likely end his winless streak in rapid fashion.
Due to Mercedes’ struggles, the 38-year-old hasn’t won a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which took place two years ago.
Despite the disappointment of not contesting for victories currently, Hamilton hasn’t given up in Mercedes turning things around, which is why he signed a two-year contract extension taking him to the end of 2025.
Putting his new deal to the side for a moment, Horner isn’t shocked that Hamilton was looking at his options given the position Mercedes currently find themselves in, with him stating that it was likely not only Red Bull that his entourage spoked to.
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“Well, not really. I mean, he’s the most successful driver of all time, and hasn’t won a Grand Prix since 2021. So you haven’t got to be a rocket scientist to work that out,” Horner said, when asked if Mercedes will be surprised by Hamilton’s team looking at their options.
“And I doubt that I was the only one that there was an inquiry made to.
“Now, what the dynamics are within any given relationship, I don’t know. I’m not privy to that. But, you know, inevitably there are questions going to be asked. And there’s not really much more to say a lot has been made out of something fairly innocuous.”