Legendary British F1 driver Lewis Hamilton expressed a desire to join Red Bull before Mercedes before the 2013 season, according to former Red Bull Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner.
In what is regarded as the most successful driver-team partnership, Hamilton, one of the sport's most successful drivers, has won a joint record of seven world titles, six of them with Mercedes.
After joining McLaren in 2007 and winning the 2008 driver's championship, Hamilton departed the team at the end of the 2012 season.
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Horner spoke about Hamilton's dwindling interest in staying with the Papayas and the strained relationship with then teammate Jenson Button. "Lewis Hamilton seemed to be losing heart at McLaren," Horner wrote in his new autobiography, Drive.
"From the outside, his relationship with Jenson Button looked strained, and his head was dropping after a series of mechanical failures throughout 2012. I occasionally bumped into him at races, and we were always friendly (despite his comment about Red Bull being just a drinks company), but I thought he seemed strangely vulnerable for a former world champion.
He also revealed that a secret meeting took place with Hamilton, where lewis confirmed that he wanted to move to Red Bull.
"Then, while checking my phone for missed calls and messages one day, I noticed his father's number on the screen and wondered whether Lewis was experiencing a change of opinion regarding Red Bull."
"When a secret meeting was then called with Lewis at Adrian (Newey)'s house near Ascot, my gut instinct was confirmed. He was looking to leave McLaren, and we were his preferred destination.
"'What will it take to join you guys?' he said, as we sat down. Adrian, who is not known for his poker face, looked ecstatic. I could hardly blame him. A driver pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton was a tantalising prospect," he added.
Hamilton was represented by Simon Fuller in the potential deal. Simon is the same man who had previously represented the Spice Girls and high-profile sporting figures like Legendary footballer David Beckham and former Tennis player Andy Murray.
Horner also noted that there was a disagreement between himself and Red Bull Racing adviser Helmut Marko, who was credited with discovering Vettel, the then reigning champion.
"Certainly, Helmut looked unimpressed when he heard the news," Horner said. "Lewis's arrival would likely impact Sebastian, his protégé, and he was clearly feeling apprehensive. Intrigued, I tested the waters anyway. Simon was known to be a softly spoken person, but his opening gambit caused my ears to ring. 'You and I can do the biggest sports deal since Muhammad Ali,' he said boldly. I laughed, having grown familiar with the sports-agent vernacular. Simon was going to make a lot of money. And Red Bull would have to spend a fortune.
"Despite the undeniable marketing upside, I didn't pursue the idea with any real forcefulness. But the Lewis deal was going to appeal to someone. And I had a good idea of who that someone might be."
He then explained what he admired about the 41-year-old British driver and why he thought that he would have been a perfect pair alongside Vettel.
"Lewis had transformed into an iconic figure (by 2012), having won four races during his 2007 debut season with McLaren. Five years on, he was an elite racer known for his explosive pace, and arguably one of the competition's fastest ever drivers. He was the 2008 world champion, the winner of seventeen Grands Prix, and the holder of nineteen pole positions."
"As a driver, he was fantastic in the wet, fearless, and able to extract the absolute maximum from his car. He was also a commercial dream. Lewis was the face of countless billboard campaigns and TV adverts. Overall, he was just about the perfect challenger to Sebastian.
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However, the former Red Bull team principal admitted that money also played a major role in the deal falling through.
"Adrian, forever looking to improve the quality of drivers at Red Bull, was particularly enthusiastic. I couldn't blame him. Of course, the stumbling block was money. Any deal that brought Lewis to Red Bull would require staggering sums," he concluded.
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