IN A MOVE that will have Formula 1 enthusiasts rubbing their chins and going ‘hmmm,’ Lewis Hamilton insists he feels no reason to leave McLaren.
Hamilton set tongues wagging in Montreal at the weekend when he was reported to have spoken with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner for more than 40 minutes.
The 26-year-old certainly had plenty of time to stand around and chat, given his early exit from the race for a foolish collision with team-mate Jenson Button.
The 2008 world champion has only won a single race this season, in China, and had to look on in Canada as Button took a sensational victory from Sebastian Vettel.
“I’ve grown up wanting to be world champion and I’ve definitely not achieved all that I want to (in Formula One),” The Guardian quotes Hamilton as saying.
“So definitely I’ll be spending as much time as I can there until I do achieve what I’ve always wanted to do. In terms of where I am, again I’m just very fortunate to be a part of McLaren.
“It’s one of the best teams there with great history, and we’ve now a car which is capable of winning, as my team-mate showed at the weekend.”
In his next breath and use of the word ‘other,’ Hamilton paid a sneaky homage to the Red Bull team, who have tasted success in five of the seven races so far this season.
“We are the only other team that has won grands prix this year, so I don’t see why you’d particularly want to move when you have the most competitive car.
“So as long as we have the car that can do the job, then there will be no reason to leave.”
Hamilton went on to explain away his dalliance with Horner by lashing out that old ‘we’re just good friends, honest’ chestnut.
“I know all the managers, the bosses, and I know lots of people at the teams. I know (the Ferrari team principal) Stefano Domenicali and we chat all the time, and (the Mercedes Motorsport vice-president) Norbert Haug, and Christian.
“When I was going from Formula Three to GP2 I had a meeting with Christian when he was running the Red Bull team back in Formula 3000 I think it was. But I know everyone, so I speak to all the people during the weekend.”
