2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[j_ste]

Toto in a spot of bother

Ha...in trouble for having the FIA and F1's back. Kinda funny

[chrisc90]

What was said?

[Luscion]

What was said?

they both said the F bomb during the press conference, Toto went off on a reporter and dropped the f bomb and Fred was asked about what happened with the drain cover, was pissed and also dropped the f bomb

[Luscion]

And nothing came of it, both just got warnings

[organic]

Personally I think Horner tried to create a story/narrative that's negative for Merc environment. He's just playing the shitstirring game he always does. Maybe he's bored, maybe trying to undermine Merc

Certainly it will create a certain angle for the media this weekend and going into the off-season when news is scarce

I'm sure there's always communication from prominent drivers like Lewis to other teams before renewing. It wouldn't shock anyone if Alonso's team is reaching out to RB before he renews for AMR I think - so it shouldn't shock with Lewis either IMO.

[ValeVida46]

Hamilton: “If you really think about it, there are a lot of people here that like to drop my name in conversations because they know it will make waves and if you are a little bit lonely, and are not getting much attention, that is the perfect thing to do, just mention my name.”

[Luscion]

Personally I think Horner tried to create a story/narrative that's negative for Merc environment. He's just playing the shitstirring game he always does. Maybe he's bored, maybe trying to undermine Merc

Certainly it will create a certain angle for the media this weekend and going into the off-season when news is scarce

I'm sure there's always communication from prominent drivers like Lewis to other teams before renewing. It wouldn't shock anyone if Alonso's team is reaching out to RB before he renews for AMR I think - so it shouldn't shock with Lewis either IMO.

I'm leaning towards the shitstirring too but you think it could be the case that someone from his team contacted Horner without him knowing? i dont think Lewis is lying that he never contacted RB considering how hard hes going in on Horner

[AR3-GP]

Does anyone know how long Lewis's current contract is and if there are car performance clauses in it?

[Luscion]

Does anyone know how long Lewis's current contract is and if there are car performance clauses in it?

Both him and George signed for two years, no idea about the clauses though

[organic]

Bizarre why a team boss would come out and chat about another under contract driver coming to them for a contract.
Denied by Hamilton now.

https://twitter.com/wbuxtonofficial/sta ... 3971494169


Quoted by Deni:
https://twitter.com/fiagirly/status/1727658586266878451

Lewis Hamilton: “I know [the story] has come from Christian. I don’t really understand what he’s been talking about because 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 earlier in the year about meeting up. But that’s it. I’m not sure, I just think he’s stirring things.”

As per BBC Sport:

Questioned about the discrepancy between the two versions of events, a Red Bull spokesperson said Hamilton's father was the one who made contact with Horner.

[Luscion]

so either Lewis' dad went behind his back and never told him any of this or RB and Horner are full of it

[organic]

so either Lewis' dad went behind his back and never told him any of this or RB and Horner are full of it

Or the unsaid 3rd option that Hamilton knew and refuses to acknowledge it as it would make him look worse to both the team and public..

[Luscion]

so either Lewis' dad went behind his back and never told him any of this or RB and Horner are full of it

Or the unsaid 3rd option that Hamilton knew and refuses to acknowledge it as it would make him look worse to both the team and public..

or that, interested to see what the truth is, if we even get to find out as it will most likely be a he said she said type of thing

[Luscion]

I'm biased but what has me leaning more towards Lewis telling the truth is that he was pretty open about meeting with Elkann and made it known to Toto that while he had the meeting he wasnt going anywhere, the fact that him and Horner have never really gotten along, he cant stand Marko and him and Max dont have the best relationship and the fact that Toto has said he wouldnt have a problem with Lewis going elsewhere if Merc cant make him a championship winning car again so i dont see a reason to keep meeting with RB from him. but hey i could be completely wrong

[ValeVida46]

so either Lewis' dad went behind his back and never told him any of this or RB and Horner are full of it

Or the unsaid 3rd option that Hamilton knew and refuses to acknowledge it as it would make him look worse to both the team and public..

It's well known his dad used to be his manager, at which point Lewis terminated the role his dad played.

So, eventually, I decided to part ways from my dad and I was like, ‘I’m gonna start making some of the decisions for myself and the mistakes that I’m gonna need to make’

Hamilton Sr is not representative of Lewis, this role belongs to Penni Thow.
Sr can approach anyone and has also represented other drivers in the past. So Hamilton Sr approaching RB could've been tapping them up to sound out a move that Hamilton was unaware of.
This happens with family members of footballers all the time, who are also in most cases unaware of goings on with agents/family touting them to other clubs.
A "Red Bull spokesperson" is now also directly contradicting Horner's quoted words. In other words, they created a shitstorm.

Either way, this type of meddling is typical of Horner to unsettle another team leading into the winter.
Even if it were true, it's totally unnecessary and embarrassing for a team boss to initiate this kind of nonsense publicly with another teams driver.