Christian Horner says “something is preventing” Lewis Hamilton signing Mercedes contract
Hamilton and Mercedes ha🙈ve both insisted all seasons that a new deal is a formalityꦫ yet it remains unsigned.
Red Bull team principal Horner has now prodded his 💃rival team by calling out the stalemate in negotiations.
“It’s strang𝐆e because we keep being told, and I keep seeing in the media, that it’s just a matter of days,” he told .
“That’s been going on since February!
“So one can only assume that there is something fundamental that they can’t 🎉agree on.
“We don’t tend to conduct negotiations through the medi﷽a.
“It is usually a couple of conversations arou♊nd the table, and the job is done. So I don’꧑t understand why.
“There has to be something prev𒁏enting it happening.”
Hamilton has been linked to Ferrari while he has been negotiating the🐲 exౠtension to his deal with Mercedes which expires at the end of this year.
Hor🍌ner was asked ꦅif Hamilton and Max Verstappen could co-exist as F1 teammates.
“That’s like saying ‘could you have two centre-forwards playing fo🤪r your favourite football team who are both hugely competitive and🅠 talented’,” he replied.
“It would be unrealistic to put both in the sam🧔e team.”
Verstappen has prevented Hamilton from achieving the all-time reco🧔rd eighth F1 champ🦩ionship.
But Red Bull, who are set for another constructors’ aꦜnd drivers’ double victory this season, recognise Hamilton’s legacy.
“Huge respect for Lewis,” H😼orner said. “He is the most successful driver of all time.
“He is a rival but there is ♔re🔥spect for everything he has achieved.”
James was a sports jo🎀urnalist at Sky Sp𒆙orts for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
