Lewis Hamilton makes “lonely” jibe at Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner, doubts Max Verstappen ‘wants me as his teammate’
In an interview with the Daily Mail in the build-up to this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Horner made the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:sensational revelation that Hamilton had sounded out Red Bull earlier this year before the seven-time world champion 🎉committed his future to Mercedes.
Hamilton, who signed a new two-year contract renewal with Mercedes at the end of August, initially 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:denied Horner’s𝓡 claim when speaking to Sky, in turn revealin🌺g that Horner𒊎 had in fact contacted him first.
According to Hami🥃lton’s version of 𓃲events, Horner made the first move to initiate a meeting between the pair, but texted the 38-year-old Briton’s old number.
"No, I didn't approach them… Ch🍬ristian messaged me,” Hamilton told reporters in a later media debrief which followed his TV pen duties as he attempted to set the♋ record straight.
"I've checked with everyone in my team, and no one hasಌ spoken to them. But they have tried to 🧜reach out to us.”
Hamilton went on to explain: “I picked up my old phonꩵe, which I just found♔ at home, that had my old number on it.
"I🐷 switched it on and obviously hundreds of messages came through and I realised there was one from Christian to get together and have a chat at the end of the season…
"I just replied to him on my new phone. It was after a weekend. It was quite late on thꦡat I foun🐷d the message. It was from earlier on in the year. So, it was like months later.”
He added: "There's a lot of people here that like to drop my name in many conversations because they know it's 🐠going to make waves.
"If you're a little bit lonely and aren't getting much attention, it's a perfect thing to do. Just mention my ꦐname.”
Hami🍎lton stressed he had kept Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the loop about his contact with Horner.
"I did tell Toto [about replyingඣ to Horner], especially when the story broke,” he said.
"Also, I wanted my team to know because pe❀ople think those things and it's never a positive.”
And Hamilton believes 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen would be 🧜l✃ess keen on the pair ever becoming teammates.
"I'd be more than happ🐠y to race against Max in the same car,” he said. “That would be wonderful. I don't think he wants me to be his teammate.”
🍬Verstappen was pressed on whether he would be open to going head-to-head wit🍰h Hamilton in equal machinery during Thursday’s press conference.
"I wo🦩uldn't mind,” the triple world champion replied. “It doesn't matter, anyone. I don't want to put it particularly on Lewis. There are s🀅o many great drivers as well. Sometimes it doesn't work out like that."
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for ltxcn.top around the world. Oft🌺en reporting on the action from the ground, Lewi✱s tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
