Not too long ago, the future of Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes was under an umbrella of doubts, with the Briton running out of a contract with the team. The delay invited heavy speculation about Hamilton potentially moving to a rival team as Ferrari and Red Bull emerged as the prime targets for the 7-time world champion. Addressing the same, Christian Horner reveals there were talks between the team and Hamilton about a possible association earlier in the year.
Lewis Hamilton says he is already “thinking about his next contract” with Mercedes 👀
— Mercedes-AMG F1 News (@MercedesNewsUK) September 1, 2023
Hamilton and Max Verstappen currently share one of the fiercest modern-day rivalries. However, the Briton hasn’t been able to keep up with the Dutchman, owing majorly to an uncompetitive car by Mercedes. Perhaps looking to compete on equal terms, Horner admitted Hamilton was interested in the idea of being in a Red Bull car, which gave way to his team holding talks with the Austrian outfit, as reported by Formu1a.uno.
“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.”
The 50-year-old added the chemistry and dynamic between Hamilton and Verstappen wouldn’t be right and that the team was happy with their current lineup, thus rejecting any advancements of the move.
The actions of Hamilton paved the way for him to sign a two-year extension deal with Mercedes. Talking first to Ferrari and Fred Vasseur before engaging in a conversation with Red Bull gave Hamilton all the leverage he wanted in his negotiations with Mercedes, allowing him to sign a contract reportedly worth over $62.5 million a year.
Lewis Hamilton to Red Bull was never a possibility
Earlier this year, Christian Horner sat down for an interview with Sky Sports, where he revealed that while Hamilton had achieved unparalleled success in F1, there were no possibilities of him joining Red Bull. The British engineer said that his current driver lineup was secure for this season as well as the next one, making it a logistical challenge for them to accommodate a 7-time world champion.
Christian Horner has ruled out a move for Sir Lewis Hamilton to join Red Bull, with the Briton’s contract at Mercedes expiring at the end of the season ✍️❌ pic.twitter.com/rR7vorQtry
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 23, 2023
While the potential move of Hamilton from Mercedes to Red Bull would be a shocking one, it wasn’t the first time these rumors took wind. Back in 2020, there were chances of the Briton joining the Red Bull camp starting from the 2021 season, replacing Alex Albon in the team. However, Horner was once again at the forefront of denying the move, claiming Hamilton wouldn’t fit the team’s program.
