![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/73\/590x\/secondary\/Christian-Horner-Red-Bull-5092507.jpg?r=1701336374490\")
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Johnny Herbert has joked that he \u2018doesn\u2019t listen\u2019 to Christian Horner sometimes and that the Red Bull team principal\u2019s recent comments about Lewis Hamilton expressing interest in joining his team represent one such occasion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Red Bull boss spoke to the Daily Mail ahead of the final race of the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi, stating that earlier in the campaign, a member of Hamilton\u2019s entourage – later disclosed by a different source to be his father, Anthony – had reached out to him regarding the possibility of driving for the team in 2024.<\/p>\n
This came during a point in the season when Sergio Perez was coming under increasing pressure. The Mexican driver flew out of the blocks with two wins in the opening four rounds but failed to win another Grand Prix thereafter and his form after the summer break sparked serious conversations about the viability of keeping him in the second seat beyond the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Despite Horner’s claims, Hamilton appeared confused when presented with the rumours in the media pen in Abu Dhabi. The seven-time world champion denied any knowledge of contact between his circle and the Red Bull boss.<\/p>\n
In a conversation with Genting Casino Herbert addressed the possibility of Hamilton becoming Max Verstappen\u2019s team-mate and admitted he would be surprised if Horner’s comment were true. He said: \u201cI don\u2019t think anybody was really aware of that, I think a lot of people were saying \u2018Well that would be the possible right pairing to have\u2019 because obviously in a situation like Lewis was in at Mercedes.<\/p>\n
Click here to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive F1 news.<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> FIA president addresses \u2018sexism\u2019 accusations following \u2018inhuman attack\u2019[LATEST] <\/strong><\/p>\n “I think Lewis is very aware, and you mentioned it earlier, Lewis is after the eighth. Now he knows how good Max is, he knows it\u2019s Max\u2019s team, he knows that when he\u2019s been winning the championships that he\u2019s got, generally, he’s been the man of that team.<\/p>\n “And you go, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Nicky Lauder, Nigel Mansell, the list goes on, they were the leaders of those teams. And the way you win world championships is to be the leader of the team.<\/p>\n “Going into Red Bull, that I don\u2019t think would ever be the case, and I think he\u2019s very aware of that. I\u2019d be very surprised if there was any contact from Lewis\u2019 side and him not knowing that they were doing it if that was the case.<\/p>\n More F1… <\/strong>
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