Hamilton counters after Red Bull advance
Lewis Hamilton doubts that Max Verstappen would like this idea. However, the British record Formula 1 world champion sees no difficulties for himself in driving in a team with the currently dominant old and new champion.
"I would be more than happy to race against Max in the same car. That would be wonderful," he said, referring to the practically equal starting position for both of them. "But I don't think he wants me as his team-mate," added the 38-year-old Hamilton. And the Mercedes superstar said it with a smile. He will also be driving for the Mercedes team in 2024 and 2025.
Hamilton relaxed
Hamilton was quite relaxed about the speculation in the British newspaper "Daily Mail" that Verstappen's team boss Christian Horner had made contact with Red Bull before his contract extension, along with a clear denial. "There are a lot of people who like to drop my name in conversations because they know it will make waves," explained the Briton in the paddock at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
There, where he suffered one of his worst defeats two years ago when he was overtaken and dethroned by Verstappen on the final lap of the last race as a result of a much-discussed race director's decision, he could not resist a verbal jab at Horner. However, he did not explicitly mention Horner's name again. "When you're a bit lonely and don't get much attention, it's perfect to mention my name."
The fact that Red Bull Racing uploaded the video to Instagram a little later, showing Horner seconds during the decisive race phase and Verstappen's 2021 triumph, could of course have been a coincidence, but it doesn't have to be. What is clear is that the already tense atmosphere between the current industry leader Red Bull and the previously dominant Mercedes team is only likely to cool down slightly over the winter break.
In the world of Motorsport, the idea of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen racing together in the same team has been brought up, despite Hamilton's belief that Verstappen might not be fond of the idea. Despite this, the Formula 1 champion is set to compete with Mercedes in the upcoming GP Abu Dhabi and beyond, in 2024 and 2025. In a twist of events, Red Bull Racing recently shared a video on Instagram, featuring their team boss Christian Horner and Verstappen's 2021 triumph, which fueled speculations about potential future collaborations.
Source: www.dpa.com
