Lewis Hamilton has denied Christian Horner’s sensational claim that he approached Red Bull about driving for the reigning Formula 1 constructors before committing his future to Mercedes.
Red Bull team principal Horner made a stunning revelation in an interview with the Daily Mail that the seven-time world champion had reached out to his team for a seat while his future at Mercedes was up in the air.
Hamilton, who signed a fresh two-year contract with Mercedes in August, responded back by insisting he had no knowledge of such talks ever taking place.
Hamilton rather revealed that Horner called him to have a meeting on a particular occasion to which nothing materialised.
The seven-time world champion also stated that Horner is fond of making such sensational claims for media attention.
“I don’t really know where that story has come from,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “I know it has come from Christian, but I don’t know what he’s been talking about.
“No-one, as far as I’m aware, from my team has spoken to him. I haven’t spoken to Christian in years. However, he did reach out to me about meeting up. But that’s it.
“I just congratulated him on an amazing year and said ‘hopefully soon I will be able to fight against you guys’. So I’m not sure. I think he’s just stirring things. There aren’t any confidential discussions.
“You know Christian… he loves that kind of stuff.”
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Hamilton will wrap up the 2023 F1 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. The 38-year-old is guaranteed to finish third in the drivers’ championship regardless of any outcome in the race.
His Mercedes team are however still embroiled in a battle for second place in the constructors’ championship with only four points separating the German marque and Ferrari.
