Toto Wolff tears into Christian Horner as Mercedes boss backs up Lewis Hamilton story
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has weighed in on the debate regarding Christian Horner's comments about Lewis Hamilton.
Toto Wolff has ripped into Red Bull team principal Christian Horner for his comments about Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 50-year-old claimed earlier in the week that the Mercedes driver had enquired about a move to Milton Keynes for 2024.
Horner had previously told the Daily Mail that the seven-time world champion's entourage had enquired about the possibility of a vacancy at Red Bull for the 2024 season following Mercedes' poor start to the 2023 campaign.
Hamilton ultimately opted against a risky gamble with his latest contract, renewing his deal with Mercedes for another two seasons alongside team-mate George Russell.
Discussing the Red Bull team principal's comments, Wolff hit back: “I just don’t know what drives the guy. We just don’t understand his thinking to come up with these things.”
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Wolff then clarified the truth behind the exchanges, stating: “What happened is that Christian, through an agency that we work with, wanted to have Lewis’ contact details to speak about the seat.
"That’s how the whole thing went. It was Christian enquiring about Lewis’ availability. Lewis had an exchange with Christian, which he immediately told me about, and which was not about a seat but it was just blah. I don’t know what drives him to come out with this.”
Hamilton was baffled when presented with the rumours by Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz during media day in Adu Dhabi, suggesting that nobody from his camp had made contact with Red Bull in recent times.
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"Yeah, I don't really know where that story has come from,” Hamilton explained. “I mean I know it's come from Christian… So I don't really understand 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 really in years. However, he did reach out to me earlier on in the year about meeting up but that's it. I just congratulated him on an amazing year and said 'Hopefully soon I'll be able to fight against you guys in the near future'. That was it.”
The seven-time world champion will now turn his attention to the battle for P2 in the Constructors' Championship with Ferrari in Abu Dhabi as Mercedes look to maintain their four-point advantage.