Hamilton 'authorised' Red Bull approach as F1 star 'made Verstappen demand'
Helmut Marko believes contact from Lewis Hamilton's camp over a potential Red Bull switch was "authorised" by the Formula 1 star.
Christian Horner dropped a bombshell ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend when he claimed Hamilton had enquired about a move to Red Bull. The alleged contact came before the seven-time world champion signed his latest Mercedes contract.
Hamilton denied the claim and accused Horner of stirring things. But the Red Bull chief has stuck to his story and said it was Hamilton's father Anthony who had been the one to make the contact on his son's behalf.
Red Bull adviser Marko has now weighed in on the topic. Speaking to F1 Insider, the Austrian said he was sure that it was a genuine enquiry over whether or not there would be a Red Bull seat available in 2024.
"I can only say that Christian Horner told me in January about a text message he received from people around Hamilton," he said. "It seemed authorised by the driver, especially because there was talk of a condition that Hamilton set. He only wanted to drive for Red Bull if he got the same material as Max Verstappen. For me at least there was no doubt that the request from the Hamilton side was serious."
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Marko went on to add that there was never any chance that Red Bull could seriously think about putting Hamilton in the same car as Verstappen. "There were never any considerations about letting Hamilton drive alongside Verstappen," he added.
"Firstly, we are well positioned with our driver squad including Sergio Perez. 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." As much as watching the two biggest stars on the F1 grid go toe-to-toe in the same team would be a mouth-watering prospect for fans, Verstappen was not keen to imagine such hypotheticals.
"I don't think he wants me to be his team-mate," Hamilton had asserted about the Dutchman. But Verstappen snapped back: " It's not happening. So there's no point in making up stories if it's not happening. I wouldn't mind [it happening], it doesn't matter. Anyone. I don't want to put it like now, particularly on Lewis. There are so many great drivers as well. Sometimes it just doesn't work out like that.
"It doesn't interest me at all. I didn't even know about those stories when I was asked during the press conference. But I don't care either. We don't even need to talk about it, because it's just never going to happen. What do I need to prove? I've got nothing to prove, I think."
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