Red Bull ‘stand by’ claim that Hamilton made contact | Mercedes: “Implausible”

That is according to Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater, who has analysed the situation following Horner’s bombshell interview with the Daily Mail that was published on Wednesday evening. 

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

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

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

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

“He did speak during the contract negotiation process, about not looking anywhere 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 continued. 

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

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

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

“One insider, connected with the team, observed to me that this is Horner needing to use Lewis’ name to make headlines.

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