That is according to Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater, who has analysed the situation following ℱHorner’s bombshell interview with the that w🍷as published on Wednesday evening. 

Horner sensationally claimed Hamilton’s mana❀gement reached out to Red Bull and also met with Ferrari chairman John Elkann be🎃fore the seven-time world champion put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with Mercedes. 

“I got in touch with Red Bull, theyﷺ say ‘yes absolutely, Horner stands by this, that a known Hamilton representat💜ive made contact with him’,” Slater told Sky Sports News. 

“They wouldn’t specify how in-depth this contact was, particularly. But, it happened. That’ꦇs the interesting aspect to this.

“Lewis has ultimately re-signed with Mercedes for a couple🍒 of years, he did so in Auꦺgust.

“He did speak during the contract negotiation process, about 😼not looking anywꦕhere else.” 

Mercedes consider the suggestion to be “implausible” and implied Horner simply wanted to generate headlines by using Hamilton’s name, according🐲 to Slater. 

“So, I did get in touch with Mercedes who tell me they are relaxed, and not stressed about any of this,” he co🦩ntinued. 

“As far as the☂y see it, they think it’s rather implausible. But it would be, in their view, for a representative of Hamilt💧on to go and see what else was out there, what future opportunities might be out there.

“But𝓰 they’re not taking it particularly seriously. It is not, in any way, an issue between the team and Lewis, even ജif this did happen - which they’re not convinced it did.

“It could even🔯 be the case that Lewis didn’t know about this coඣntact, necessarily.

“One insider, connected with the team, observed to me that this is Horner needing to use Lewis’ name t🍷o make headlines.

“Maybe this 🍸is friction arising between these rival teams. Horner has stirred the poꦏt.”