A grin after the turmoil: Horner's Hamilton statement
Christian Horner knew this question would come up after the uproar surrounding Red Bull and record world champion Lewis Hamilton.
The team boss himself had fueled the speculation with his statements about contacting Hamilton's entourage before he signed a new contract with German Formula 1 racing team Mercedes. "It's remarkable how well received that was," said the 50-year-old Briton in the paddock at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Horner couldn't resist a smug grin and thanked the British tabloid for taking on the - if all were true - quite piquant matter. The only problem is that it was supposedly just pleasantries between him and Hamilton's father, nothing serious. "Unless Anthony wanted to drive for us."
But there was no free seat at Red Bull anyway. In 2024, when Hamilton would love to re-establish the former hierarchy with Mercedes and win his eighth world championship title, Sergio Pérez will once again drive alongside three-time world champion Max Verstappen in the second Red Bull.
Hamilton wanted to sound out his chances
So far, so good? Not quite. In the Daily Mail, Horner had previously said that there had been several discussions over the years about a possible switch for Hamilton. "They have asked a few times. Most recently there was an inquiry about whether there would be interest at the beginning of the year," he was quoted as saying.
Horner had also reported on alleged Hamilton talks with Ferrari. The impression arose that Hamilton would have wanted to sound out his chances with the competition before signing on with works team Mercedes, for whom he has been driving since 2013. And this after he had always emphasized his strong ties to Mercedes.
Hardly any cooling off during the winter break
It was foreseeable what all this would trigger, especially as the sporting events have long since been clarified in the decisive questions. The relationship between the current industry leader Red Bull and the former industry leader Mercedes, who are fighting for second place behind Red Bull in the constructors' championship at the last of this year's 22 races, is not exactly characterized by the greatest mutual affection.
Horner and his counterpart, 51-year-old Toto Wolff, are by far the most successful team bosses in the current paddock, both are doers, both do not avoid conflict. The permanently heated relationship is unlikely to cool down during the winter break.
Horner made sure of that. "I've known Anthony Hamilton for many years," he emphasized. "He's a good guy, a proud driver's father and it's inevitable that questions will arise in the paddock when a driver is going through difficult times." You also "don't have to be a rocket scientist" to figure it out.
Salt in Mercedes' wounds
After all, Lewis Hamilton had not won a race for two years, Horner mentioned again at the Yas Marina Circuit. Where Hamilton had snatched victory and thus the title from Verstappen in a memorable showdown in the final round of the 2021 finale after controversial race director decisions.
Hamilton himself reacted rather calmly to Horner's statements in the British newspaper, which reported "intrigue everywhere", and denied that he or his personal team had made contact. Instead - according to Hamilton's account - Horner had written him a message saying that they could sit down and talk at the end of the season. What this should have been about remained unclear.
"There are a lot of people who like to drop my name in conversations because they know it makes waves," said Hamilton in Abu Dhabi: "If you're a bit lonely and don't get much attention, it's perfect to mention my name." And he also grinned smugly.
In light of the ongoing speculation, Christian Horner expressed his delight at the interest shown by Lewis Hamilton and his team in a potential move to Red Bull, stating that it was a topic of discussion in the past. Despite Hamilton's denial of any contact, Horner attended the GP Abu Dhabi with a hint of satisfaction, knowing that the speculation had caused a stir in the Formula 1 scene.
Following the intrigue surrounding their team rivalry, the upcoming Formula 1 season is set to be filled with added tension between Mercedes and Red Bull, with Horner and Toto Wolff's heated relationship showing no signs of cooling down during the winter break.
Source: www.dpa.com
