Hamilton: 'Don't know what Horner is talking about, he reached out to me'

Red Bull team principal Horner’s stunning revelation that the seven-time world champion had reached out to his team came in an interview with the Daily Mail that was published on Wednesday evening. 

But Hamilton, who signed a fresh two-year contract with Mercedes in August, insists he has no knowledge of such talks ever taking place. 

"I don’t really know where that story has come from," Hamilton told Sky. "I know it has come from Christian, but I don’t know what he’s been talking about.

"No-one, as far as I’m aware, from my team has spoken to him. I haven’t spoken to Christian in years. However, he did reach out to me about meeting up. But that’s it.

"I just congratulated him on an amazing year and said ‘hopefully soon I will be able to fight against you guys’. So I’m not sure. I think he’s just stirring things. There aren’t any confidential discussions.

"You know Christian… he loves that kind of stuff."

Asked if he'd welcome going up against Max Verstappen in equal machinery, Hamilton said: "100%. I’d be more than happy to race against him in an equal car.

"For me, Red Bull has done an amazing job and is an amazing team. Any driver would love to drive for such a great group of people. I think moving from a car that’s not so great to a winning car is not a dream.

"A dream is to start from where we are, and build up to then winning. That’s why I have stayed with Mercedes."