Lewis Hamilton has responded to the claims made by Christian Horner earlier this week, denying any contract negotiations with Red Bull. Even without a Championship battle, the relationship between these two parties continues to show its contentiousness.
For all of Red Bull’s dominance in 2023, they certainly haven’t failed to create headlines off-track. From Daniel Ricciardo’s return to question marks surrounding Sergio Perez, there have been plenty of narratives to dissect around the Austrian outfit.
However, Lewis Hamilton’s name was completely absent from the polemics at Red Bull. After all, the 7-time Champion signed a multi-year contract extension with Mercedes earlier this season.
This agreement was never in doubt, with both parties eager to continue their collaboration. Amidst this climate of straightforwardness, recent comments from Christian Horner have added a new level of intrigue.
In a recent interview, the Red Bull team principal claimed that Hamilton and Red Bull were in contract talks this year. Perhaps most significantly, he stated that the Mercedes driver initiated these conversations.
Hamilton denies Horner’s claims
Unsurprisingly, this topic was brought to Lewis Hamilton on media day. In unequivocal terms, the 38-year-old denied initiating any talks with the reigning World Champions:
“There are a lot of people that like to drop my name in conversations. Because they know it will make waves,” he explained.
“And if you’re a little bit lonely and aren’t getting much attention, that is the perfect thing to do.
“Just mention my name.”
Evidently, Hamilton is unimpressed about the recent comments that surfaced from the Red Bull boss.
It also seems likely that Christian Horner will maintain his stance on this issue in the coming days – when he will inevitably be asked about this topic.
Ultimately, this brief exchange is just another – albeit brief – chapter to the rivalry between Hamilton and Red Bull.
For the sake of increased competition at the front, many are hopeful that this rivalry will again manifest itself in a Championship battle.
