Lewis Hamilton to Purple Bull claims had been the key story within the Yas Marina Circuit paddock after Christian Horner urged the Mercedes driver received in contact; watch each session from the Abu Dhabi GP reside on Sky Sports activities from Friday at 9.30am, with lights out on Sunday at 1pm
Final Up to date: 23/11/23 6:02pm
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With rumours suggesting Lewis Hamilton might need joined Purple Bull, Max Verstappen says he would not have minded if the seven-time world champion or another driver raced alongside him.
With rumours suggesting Lewis Hamilton might need joined Purple Bull, Max Verstappen says he would not have minded if the seven-time world champion or another driver raced alongside him.
Lewis Hamilton says he would “100 per cent” be open to being team-mates with Max Verstappen however claims the Purple Bull driver would not need to take him on in the identical equipment.
Purple Bull crew principal Christian Horner says a consultant of Hamilton approached Purple Bull earlier this yr earlier than the seven-time champion signed his two-year Mercedes contract renewal in August.
Hamilton, who has been with Mercedes since 2013, claims it was the opposite manner round and Horner reached out to him.
The claims and counter-claims sparked loads of questions in Abu Dhabi about whether or not it could be potential for a number of champions Hamilton and Verstappen, who waged a fierce duel for the world title in 2021, to drive collectively in the identical crew.
Only a few occasions in F1 historical past have two of the game’s high drivers been team-mates, though Hamilton skilled going up in opposition to Fernando Alonso at McLaren in his rookie 2007 marketing campaign and in addition partnered world champions Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg.
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Lewis Hamilton says he is by no means thought of becoming a member of Purple Bull and is decided to beat them with present crew Mercedes.
“I 100 per cent would be more than happy to race against him (Verstappen) in an equal car,” Hamilton instructed Sky Sports activities F1.
“For me, Red Bull has done an amazing job and it is an incredible team. And any driver would love to drive for such a great group of people.
“I feel transferring from a automobile that is not so nice to a successful automobile, from my perspective, that is not a dream. The dream is all the time to begin the place we type of are and construct as much as then successful. That is why I’ve stayed with Mercedes.”
He concluded to the written press in Abu Dhabi: “I do not assume he needs me to be his team-mate.”
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen team-mates in F1
| Lewis Hamilton | Max Verstappen |
| Fernando Alonso (2007) | Carlos Sainz (2015-16) |
| Heikki Kovalainen (2008-2009) | Daniel Ricciardo (2016-2018) |
| Jenson Button (2010-2012) | Pierre Gasly (2019) |
| Nico Rosberg (2013-2016) | Alex Albon (2019-2020) |
| Valtteri Bottas (2017-2021) | Sergio Perez (2021-present) |
| George Russell (2022-present) |
Verstappen: I wouldn’t mind to be Hamilton’s team-mate
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have won every F1 championship since 2017
Earlier this year, Hamilton stated that all of his team-mates in F1 have been stronger than the drivers who have partnered Verstappen.
Verstappen hit back and said “perhaps Hamilton is slightly jealous” of his success after a record-breaking season for the Dutchman.
Asked in Abu Dhabi about the prospect of being Hamilton’s team-mate in the future by Sky Sports F1, Verstappen said: “I would not thoughts.
“It doesn’t matter, anyone… don’t want to put it particularly on Lewis. There are so many great drivers as well. Sometimes it doesn’t work out like that.”
Why cannot Hamilton and Verstappen be team-mates?
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Sky Sports activities Information’ Craig Slater discusses stories {that a} Lewis Hamilton consultant spoke with Purple Bull chief Christin Horner earlier within the yr a few potential transfer to the crew.
Given the extraordinary and controversial nature of the 2021 season, it could be a giant shock if Hamilton and Verstappen ever drove for a similar crew.
Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had been team-mates at McLaren in 1988 and 1989 with the intention from the Woking-based outfit to have the highest two drivers in F1. Hamilton surprisingly matched two-time world champion Alonso in 2007, with no rivalry initially anticipated between the pair beforehand.
Sky Sports activities F1‘s Anthony Davidson says it could be “box office stuff” if Hamilton and Verstappen had been in equal equipment however does not assume it would occur.
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Look again at a number of the most dramatic moments to have taken place on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“Unfortunately the realist in me steps in and says ‘I can’t see that happening’. Red Bull is very much Max Verstappen’s team, I’m sure Lewis Hamilton would love to drive alongside him, just to have that chance to win that eighth world championship, that he oh so wants and nearly got in Abu Dhabi in 2021 of course,” Davidson instructed Sky Sports activities Information.
“But from a driver’s perspective it’s simple, ‘yeah, I’m not afraid to drive against Max Verstappen’, Max Verstappen is not afraid to drive against Lewis Hamilton, they believe they are the best in the business and why would they be afraid to go head-to-head against one of their competitors on the field in equal machinery.
“From a crew’s perspective you need to steer away from that intense competitors.
“We’ve seen it in the past with Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna at McLaren, we’ve seen it with Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and on both of those occasions it came to blows out on track, it’s not good for the team, you throw away points pretty much on a regular basis.
“It’s one thing we need to see however for the crew bosses it is not essentially the best circumstance.”
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As Max Verstappen reaches his 50th career win, take a look back at the Red Bull driver’s top five greatest race wins.
Sky Sports F1’s live Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday November 24
- 7am: F2 Practice
- 9am: Abu Dhabi GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)
- 10.55pm: F2 Qualifying
- 12.45pm: Abu Dhabi GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)
- 2.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday November 25
- 10.15am: Abu Dhabi GP Practice Three (session starts at 10.30am)
- 12.15pm: F2 Sprint
- 1.15pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying build-up
- 2pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying
- 4pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday November 26
- 9.10am: F2 Feature Race
- 11.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Abu Dhabi GP build-up
- 1pm: The ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
- 3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP reaction
- 4pm: Ted’s Notebook
After the thrills of Las Vegas, Formula 1 heads to Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit for the 2023 season finale and another stunning spectacle under the lights. Watch the Abu Dhabi weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with lights out on Sunday at 1pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports activities with NOW
