The F1 rumour mill was sent into overdrive at the season-en♋ding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed that Hamilton reached out over a potential switch from Mercedes. 

Horner’s comments were included i🉐n a story published on the eve of the Abu Dhabi finale that sparked a ‘he sai👍d, she said’ saga between Red Bull and the seven-time world champion. 

After Hamilton disputed Horner’s claims, the Red Bull chief admitted the con𝓡tact originally came from Hamilton’s father, Anthony.

"We're very happy with the drivers that we've got, but of course Lewis hasn't won a race for almoꦯst two years. You can understand questions being asked, it's entirely logical and normal for those type of things to happen,” Horner told Sky in Abu Dhabi. 

"And as 🤪I say, I've always had a great relationship with Anthony, he's a very nice guy, but there is no seat available so it's really a non-story."

Hamilton signed a new two-year contract with Mercedes inꦛ August which ties him down to the German manufacturer until the end of 𒊎2025. 

Marko waded in on the𒀰 topic when asked about it by Motorsport.com, explaining that financial constraints and underlying tension would stop a Verstappen-Hamilton 🐻pairing from ever happening at Red Bull. 

“Christian informed me and showed me the text message he received, but I told him: ‘Hamilton and Max, that doesn't work’,” Marko said🐭. 

“There was too much action and how ൲should I say, in 2021, tension. And on the other hand, we cannot afford to have the two most expensive drivers in one team. 

“It's just never going to happen. So I 😼told Ch💖ristian: ‘No way.’” 

In the interview with the Daily ꦅMail, Horner also expressed doubts about whether a Verstappen-Hamilton dynamic could work. 

"I can't see Max and Lewis working out together,” Horner said💮. “The dynamic wouldn't be right. We are 100 per cent happy with what we have.”