Lewis Hamilton reportedly told Red Bull he would consider joining the team under one condition regarding Max Verstappen, according to the team’s special advisor Helmut Marko. The Mercedes star has strongly denied a claim from Christian Horner that he had approached the team regarding a move, but Marko has since claimed that Hamilton would have been interested if they were willing to agree to his demands.
Horner’s revelation that Hamilton approached the team about a move before signing a new contract at Mercedes have sent shockwaves through the F1 paddock. The seven-time world champion accused Horner of ‘stirring things’ and insisted there was no truth in the claim, nor did the Briton’s entourage approach him.
In addition, Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff has been left furious with his Red Bull counterpart’s claims. Horner has since moved the goalposts, saying that Hamilton’s father Anthony spoke to him instead.
And it appears Marko, a key figure in the Red Bull hierarchy, has backed up Horner’s assertion about a member of Hamilton’s team made contact with them – revealing the 38-year-old’s sole demand for parity with Verstappen if he were to join.
“I can only say that Christian Horner told me in January about a text message he received from Hamilton‘s entourage,” Marko told F1 Insider.
“It seemed authorised by the driver. There was talk of a condition that Hamilton set: he only wanted to drive for Red Bull if he also got the same material [money] as Max Verstappen. For me, at least, there was no doubt that the request from the Hamilton side was serious.”
But Marko has seemingly dampened any suggestion that Hamilton would have ever joined the Austrian manfacturer as Verstappen’s team-mate, describing the pair as “two alphas”.
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“There were never any considerations about letting Hamilton drive alongside Verstappen. Firstly, we are well positioned with our driver squad including Sergio Perez,” he said.
“Second, these two alphas wouldn’t work on a team. And thirdly, the most important point: Red Bull cannot afford the two most expensive Formula 1 drivers together. But I can understand that a driver like Hamilton wants to drive in a team that promises the greatest success.”
Hamilton signed a new two-year deal with Mercedes back in August along with George Russell to guarantee the British duo will stay with the team until at least 2025, with new engine regulations set to be implemented the following year.
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