Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed that Lewis Hamilton’s camp held talks with his team earlier in 2023.
It is no secret that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are fierce rivals. Their Championship battle in 2021 is among the most well-remembered and controversial in F1 history.
Unfortunately, the last two years haven’t seen the two World Champions compete against each other on a regular basis. The lack of competitiveness at Mercedes is primarily to blame, with the Silver Arrows failing to match their Austrian rivals.
Adrian Newey and Pierre Wache continue to demonstrate an unmatched mastery of this generation of F1 cars. At least for now, Verstappen and Red Bull are an almost untouchable combination.
However, according to Red Bull’s Christian Horner, there were talks about Hamilton and Verstappen sharing the same machinery.
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14.
29.10.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 20, Mexican Grand Prix, Mexico City, Mexico, Race Day.
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Horner reveals that Hamilton’s camp reached out to the team at the beginning of 2023:
“We have had several conversations over the years about Lewis joining,” he 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.
“He met John Elkann [Ferrari’s chairman] too. I think there were serious talks.
“But I can’t see Max and Lewis working out together. The dynamic wouldn’t be right. We are 100% happy with what we have.”
Christian Horner’s quotes provide insight into how dynamic the transfer market can be.
Even drivers seemingly committed to staying with a specific team can have talks elsewhere. Of course, a driver of Lewis Hamilton’s calibre will have more options than most.
It is difficult to verify how extensive these conversations were – as if the nature of Formula 1.
However, at least for the foreseeable future, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will continue in their respective teams and work with them to develop.
