Fresh speculation over Hamilton-Red Bull link

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: An appearance by Hamilton at the Red Bull motorhome fuels speculation.

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Lewis Hamilton’s pit talks fuel rumours of switch to Red Bull (The Guardian)

“A meeting between Lewis Hamilton and Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, will further fuel speculation concerning the British driver’s unsettled state of mind.”

Lauda’s attack on Hamilton is wrong (Daily Telegraph)

David Coulthard: “Do I think Lewis is a liability to other drivers? Not for one minute.”

Formula One stewarding: what not to do (The Times, subscription required)

“If the marshals at the Montreal circuit yesterday had indeed been practising their technique, then it didn’t exactly go to plan when they had to clean up the remains of Nick Heidfeld’s nose cone during the Canadian Grand Prix.”

Nielsen leaves in Renault restructure (Autosport)

“[Steve] Nielsen has been with the team for more than 10 years but tendered his resignation over the weekend of the Spanish Grand Prix when he discovered that John Wickham, formerly the technical and operations manager of A1GP, had been commissioned to conduct an efficiency study into the team.”

Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.

Comment of the day

Eastman was in the crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve:

Standing drenched in the first corner for over two hours people were in surprisingly good spirits.

That is until the safety car emerged for lap after lap while a dryer racing line formed. The boos might not have been heard on the TV feed but they absolutely echoed around the track.
Eastman

From the forum

Prisoner Monkeys is planning on teaching children about Senna.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Sudhakar!

On this day in F1

Victory at Spa-Franchorchamps put reigning champion Jim Clark in the lead of the drivers’ championship on this day in 1964.

But a spate of problems with his Lotus during the rest of the season meant he won just once more before the end of the year. He lost his crown to Ferrari’s John Surtees.

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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103 comments on “Fresh speculation over Hamilton-Red Bull link”

  1. Completely agree with the COTD. F1 should grow some balls!

    The Hamilton to Red Bull rumour won’t go away. I was very suspect to begin with but the fact that it isn’t going away is strange! I love the silly season.

    @Keith, I believe on Autosport, Hamilton has denied the rumour too

    1. re-checked what I thought and can’t find that story on autosport now so I must have made it up. Sorry!

        1. Didn’t read anywhere of Hamilton himself denying the rumour. He was supposed to have went into Red Bulls offices and asked a member of catering staff if they knew were Horner was so doesn’t exactly seem like a planned thing if that story is true and his management companys policy would be to deny everything anyway..

          1. Perhaps LH was just thirsty and feeling a little sluggish…or maybe he was hungry and he heard that Red Bull gives you wings.

            Seriously though…who knows what LH’s visit meant, but suffice it to say if I was already on a top 3 team I don’t know that I’d be considering a switch to be SV’s teammate. He’s awfully engrained on that team now so it might not be a cakewalk partnering SV, and it remains to be seen if Red Bull even wants a top 3 level driver to partner SV in the near future.

            I also think it is pretty normal for all kinds of drivers to talk to all kinds of teams all the time. And yes, sometimes to spark their own team into not resting on it’s laurels, not that they generally do that, or to try to raise one’s own share value if it is perceived that others want you.

            Anyway, I think for now LH should be happy where he is even if they are not dominating right now. He’s as engrained on that team as anyone is on their’s and should run with that for now, unless of course he is absolutely convinced Mac is a few years away from being back to the top, and that Red Bull is interested in him, and in giving him a fully fair shot at the WDC on the team vs. SV…can’t see all those ingredients lining up for LH. But who knows. I’m just sitting in my armchair looking at it from here.

    2. I don’t think hamilton will move to red Bull, as RBR already have their own star driver in the form of Vettel, and Hamilton would provide much more competition for Vettel than Webber, which could result in more crashes, and therefore less chance of titles

  2. For a second I thought it said PM was teaching them about Santa…

    I think both Hamilton and Red Bull are just keeping their options open. Hamilton wants to win and Red Bull are pretty much praying Ricciardo turns out to be the next Vettel.

    1. TBF i think unless Vettel really does high tail it to Ferrari, RedBull have the next Vettel. His name is Vettel. WHat more do they need.

      Unless of cource the car isn’t quickest next season and they discouver boyyo gets eaten alive when the chips are down.

      1. Yeh but if Webber had been in any contention in the races Red Bull would have both championships to cruse to by now. As it is, things might have been still close were it not for circumstances other than car pace.

        They might not necessarily need another Vettel, but they need to not have a Buemi or Alguersuari as their second points-scorer.

        1. All the teams do it,it’s a negotiating tactic,you are holding out for more money and then another more successful driver is apparently in the mix, maybe its time to sign.

  3. The article beat me to it but I was thinking it’s far too obvious for Hamilton to just waltz into the RBR motorhome, silly really! I do wonder what it’s about though…any ideas anyone?

    I think Lewis is clever enough to realise he is best at McLaren. The time have history and he will be world champion with them again one day soon. I can’t imagine it would do much for his oh-so British image in the press either. No tabloid in this country would make short-work of him being coupled with a German. Sad but true.

    1. Putting the pressure on his own team a bit, so they will try harder?

      1. I think so too BasCB.

        And maybe to make a apology for the Webber incident.

      2. Perhaps…but I realy doubt McLaren are going to fall for that one.

    2. I really question this whole team loyalty aspect in f1. Every driver wants to be in race winning car, and sure, Mclaren is arguably the best team to be with in the long run, but Hamilton doesn’t see like the most patient guy. After having a race winning car in your 1st two seasons in F1, he pretty much expects a race winning car all the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if starts jumping teams to find the best option for every year. Heck, Alonso does it, Schumacher has.. and so has Lewis’ idol.

      1. Think in the long run the best team to be with is the one that includes Adrian Newy!

        For all the accusations one can throw at Schumi don’t think jumping from winning team to winning team is one of them.

        1. Not an accusation, but I didn’t see him stick with Benetton after he won 2 WDCs with them. And I really do not think he could find a better team between 2000-2004 anyways.

          1. might have came across bit harsh with the accusation phrase!
            What meant about Schumacher he was one of the few top drivers who wasn’t trying to jump to a winning team all the time.He went to Ferrari when they were rubbish and helped build them up to be unbeatable. Few other top drivers through the years have taken that option.

        2. Certainly not this time round!

      2. Wrong with Schui,Ferrari was down and out, he took a very big paycheque and the condition that he could bring in the talent to make Ferrari a winning team again. It worked for both of them.

  4. I’m glad DC spoke out against lauda’s comments. Quite ridiculous really. Bet lauda didn’t say the same during schumacer’s or senna’s first 4/5 seasons…

    1. Let’s get this strait, Hamilton is not in the Senna/Schumacher league. Don’t get me wrong, he is a good driver, but he is not the best on the grid. He is fast, but not very smart.

      1. try this link to the times article – somehow this works for me without subscription – dont ask me how – I got the direct link from somewhere…

          1. Yup :)

        1. That’s because it’s a link to The Telegraph!! :D

      2. oh god lets not start this…

      3. Dude are you joking?
        Hamilton is much better than Schumacher was.

        Senna is overrated.

        1. I can never tell whether this is great sarcasm or total stupidity

        2. Senna is overrated.

          Overrated?? OVERRATED?? I’ve got a suggestion for you… There’s a film out in England at the moment called ‘Senna’.. It’s only about 90 minutes long, but it proved to me (born 1995) that Senna is by far the greatest driver of all time. Please don’t tell me that Hamilton is better than him… Yes he’s had his good drives, but Senna is far better..

          This is the point where you tell me you were being sarcastic and I’ve made a fool of myself..

          1. There’s no skill to scare other drivers by driving into them to let him pass you the next time or he’ll crash into you again. He was a arrogant and selfish bully. Ratzenberger died because of Sennas choices. (Not to have tyre barriors on the highspeed corner walls)

        3. Dar4Ferrari (@)
          15th June 2011, 22:15

          Schumacher won 7 WDCs…in an era that may not have been as competetive as now but still had Mika Hakkinen, Jaques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya not to mention a few….and to say Senna is overrated….and blame Ratzenberger’s death on him…you clearly are ill-informed…Senna revolutionised F1…safety wise and in terms of driving styles…he was bigger than the Brazilian football team….a national hero…he had to go up against Alain Prost in a rivalry that gave F1 it’s worldwide recognition…and would LH do what Senna did in qualy at spa in 92 forErik Comas? I think not

    2. Agreed. I thought his comments seemed pretty odd, out of place and a bit misinformed.

      I really like how DC and Brundle are really on top of feedback and comments in the press and on forums etc.

      Brundle actually apologised for criticising Hamilton’s move on Maldonado in Monaco. He said something about reviewing the footage after the race and he realised that Lewis wasn’t in the wrong at all. I thought that was really good of him and confirm what a lot of us thought here.

      In addition, divers of Lauda’s era are more often heard complaining about how sterile formula 1 and its drivers are these days and that racing isn’t like it was in “the good old days”. I would have thought he’d appreciate Lewis’s approach. But, guess not…

      1. Valentino I don’t think that was Timi’s point. He wasn’t really saying Hamilton is as good as Senna or Schumacher (whether he does think that is another matter) he was saying that Lauda was not in the press calling Schumacher and Senna “mad and dangerous” (or whatever he said) when they pulled some of their crazy and possibly dangerous moves in their primes…

        I cant qualify if he did or not as I wasn’t following the sport back then…but that’s the gist I got from Timi’s post..

        Although I think Lauda called Schumacher mad and dangerous a few months back or last season when he want though his bad patch.

        Maybe Lauda is a bit green and wants to be racing again too….who knows

        1. Well, I saw him saying it on RTL Germany when temporarily looking to see what other than BBC were doing during the red flag; they were also trying to fill the show really, and then he said that, in a sort of laughing tone, but to be honest, I can’t take RTL Germany, including Lauda very seriously for most of the time, unless it is about Vettel doing well, then they are serious, even the other germans are usually used only as a bit of human interest.

          Lauda occasionally is asked about the racing and can be quite interesting then, but away from racing, he isn’t worth listening to very often.

        2. Mach1 understood the point I was trying to make.

    3. This time I must disagree with Lauda.

      1. Absolutely. I agree.

    4. Could’nt help laughing at this response, reportedly from Hamilton’s spokesperson: “It’s a bit like Geoff Boycott criticising Kevin Pietersen for scoring a century too fast.”

  5. Michael Griffin
    14th June 2011, 0:54

    Lauda, who is Austrian, speaks out against a driver (Hamilton) who, by pure coincidence I’m sure, hit a driver competing for an Austrian team (Webber – Red Bull).

    Definitely an unbiased opinion, for sure.

    1. Lauda’s just a rent-a-quote. Nothing to do with his nationality, I think, just that he likes to have his name printed in the newspapers.

      In 2007 and 2008 Hamilton could do no wrong in his eyes, while he used to burn Fernando Alonso in effigy. These things come in cycles, pretty soon Lauda will be saying that Hamilton is the Son of God and denying that he ever thought differently.

      1. Yep, bound to be burning down Vettel soon enough for a change as well!

        LOL, rent-a-quote Nikki!

      2. Lauda’s just a rent-a-quote.

        That’s actually true.

    2. Lauda is Austrian yes. But Webber is austrALIan..

      I don’t think that old drivers as Lauda is should be giving pointers.

      1. Yes and if you read Michael’s post he says that Webber drives for an Austrian team. Not that Webber is Austrian.

        1. damoor, when you grow up you will realise that teenagers only think they know everything and you will also realise that old people weren’t born old they actually were young and clever before they were old and opinionated.

  6. I don’t think Hamilton needs to switch to Red Bull now. The MP4-26 has been just as fast, if not faster than the Red Bull in race trim for the last 3 races. Lewis just needs to race with more patience and the results will come.

    1. hamilton has had the pace to win 4 of 7 races this season. He has driven poorly, and decisions have gone against him, but i feel (and hope) that once he gets past this bad stage (shouldnt last much longer, history shows he normally recovers after 2 bad races) he will be unstoppable and chase down Vettel for a cracking end to the season.

      1. dyslexicbunny
        14th June 2011, 1:55

        I agree with the first part. As for whether he’ll be unstoppable, we’ll have to find out.

      2. Didn’t see him make much of a comeback after Monza and Singapore last year.

  7. Hamilton at RedBull?

    It would surely have to be 2012 or 2014 not 2013.

    2012 would mean probably getting the best car of the grid on current regs.

    2014 would allow him to see if Mclarem had made a good challa get for the radical new regs- for Lewis to join RBR in 2013, a time whn F1 will probably change dramatically, it would be best to sit at the tried and tested Mclaren who have been through dramatic changes before and coped well, it’s to big a what if to risk a RedBull seat when they might fall away again….

    But if the do “own” the field in 2013, join and accompany “at least triple (2010,11,13) Vettel

    1. “Triple (2010,11,13) champion” Vettel.

      The last line is a joke btw. :P

    2. I think at new regs time, I would want to be in the same stable as Adrian Newey.

      1. Exactly. If ever there was a time to be with Newey it would be for 2013…

        1. Or where Ross Brawn is…..

          1. Maybe. He was certainly on the new regs in ’09 with the double diffuser, but wasn’t able to keep up with Newey’s rate of development.

      2. I disagree. Newsy has shown over his spells at different teams that it takes 2-3 seasons for him to produce a beast of a car under new regs.
        So I’d stick with mclaren for the first year, see how it goes while also keeping an eye on RBR. Then decide
        I don’t know why people think newey makes an awesome car straight off the bat. Check the history books..

        1. Newey’s had his ups and downs. The RB5 was trumped by not having a double diffuser off the bat, but it was probably one of the fastest cars after Silverstone. The RB6/7 seem like far more ferocious beasts though. I’m less up to date on previous Newey machinery, but his stint at RBR from 2009 onward seems to somewhat confirm your theory. I hope he doesn’t make an even better RB8 though, then next season might really be dull ^^

          1. @xtophe newey’s been at RBR since 2006 (but had no input into the 06 car). So it took him two and a half seasons to make a consistent race winning RBR (half way through brawn GP 2010season).

  8. Ready for another COTD? Yeah I bet you are.

    How about video of all five safety car restarts from my seat in the Senna curves during Sunday’s classic?

    One
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHcEEgv6CW4
    Finally the start, Hamilton punts Webber

    Two
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDM6GTrBZiY
    After Hamilton and Button Collide, Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus Renault teammates work their way forward

    Three
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_T0AsUXkPM
    Post Rain Delay and SC laps, Kobayashi holds off a hard charging Massa

    Four
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdZ7kMXYpD0
    After Alonso’s spin, Button Marches Forward, still last in the lead pack

    Five
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jliXY6CYHiI
    After Heidfeld’s nose disaster, Button up to fourth and Kobayashi’s drop continues

    1. very nice, I guess you had a great time getting warm with that after the suspension!

    2. Dude, you’ve got some great footage there.

    3. Fantastic! You had very good seats. :)

    4. HounslowBusGarage
      14th June 2011, 13:56

      Very nice vids, and you had the perfect grandstand seat there Eastman.
      Following your reply to my comment yesterday, no I wasn’t aware of any booing from the spectators at the SC. The only bit I seem to recall was a few boos at Vettel on the podium, but I have no idea why.
      I’ve just re-run the BBC TV coverage from the SC episode, and I can’t hear anything over the cars.

    5. That is fantastic!

      I think it’s because you’re not zoomed right in on the cars like the TV coverage does you get a real feel for the speed and cornering that F1 cars do. Brilliant.

  9. Not a bad idea of replacing Webber with Hamilton,that makes Web teaming up with Button which will be sensible & them Hamilton with Vettel which also be sensible.
    Before the weekend I said many times that this may be the race which Hamilton should win to answer all his criticize from Monaco but it seems like he is making even more mistakes.

    I have to say the biggest winner of all of that in that day were the crowd in Canada yeah it was a bit frustrating for them & even us for that longer idle times but we had the luxury to lay down on the couch where they have to sit straight on those hard chairs.

    1. The would be brilliant, Seb and Ham can crash each other off the track each weekend, and Button and Web can cruise to victory past the shard remains of the RedBulls….

    2. Hamilton and Vettel would be an absolute disaster…. It would make Alonso/Hamilton look like a match made in heaven…..

      Still…. It would make for interesting viewing!

      1. One of the thing that Webber & Button is they don’t normally crack under pressure that’s very important in F1.

        1. Korea 2010 begs to differ.

          1. Well done proving WasiF1’s point.

  10. I don’t see Hamilton moving teams – at least not until he’s won his third World Championship for McLaren. He still wants that McLaren F1 Ron Dennis promised him after winning his third title.

    1. I have a bet with someone that he doesnt win another title before he gets bored or disillusioned with F1 and goes and tries something else.

  11. Did anyone notice Schumachers rear wing in the same lap where he passed the Renault and made the fastest timing? I think i saw the wing opening and closing when he was on the roll of passing people, after passing the Renault DRS was enabled.

    1. i think it was due to the double DRS zone. if he was behind in the first one, then he could use it also in the second, despite being already ahead of the Renault.

  12. Maybe, Lewis and Christian was talking about Monaco. Or maybe it’s Lewis way to say to McLaren ” Stop ******* me off, i have other options”. Anyways, i have a feeling the media is missing a “crisis” between Lewis & Martin Whitmarsh. I think those 2 don’t have a good relationship like they want us to believe. It seems to me, Lewis doesn’t trust him much or Martin doesn’t like or trust him much either.

    1. I’ve always got the impression that Martin and Jenson have a better relationship than Martin and Lewis.

      1. I agree – I think Ron and Lewis are both more intense characters than Martin and Jenson who tend to seem more relaxed and able to let things go.

        I don’t think there is any rift between Martin and Lewis though – he has just had to get used to working with a different type of boss.

  13. Ivan Marques
    14th June 2011, 8:48

    Guys,

    Ok… For me Lewis needs a Fresh air. The change sometimes is necessary, ok mclaren has the history, but the same history dont make you faster and dont make you champion right now.
    To be a champion you need the fastest package like SV has right now… by the way the RBR.

    L Carl D. Hamilton, im with you always making mistakes or not… i like the attacker driver… and You are perfect on it… keep pushing ´cause a lot of people in the world loves you and your drive style!!!

    1. But Newey has the history of being inconsistent in building fast cars.
      The next year’s BRB may be a flop for all we know.

      1. That isn’t exactly true. Newey has a history of bending the rules to make the fastest car. Then after a while the FIA steps in to ban the technology, making the car slower than the more conservative designs. The only reason why he didn’t win more at mclaren was its appauling reliability compared to the ferrari

  14. ha ha ha HAM to redBull would be the beging of the end!
    The VET/WEB battles from last year would be a petty child’s game!
    If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! play continuity. But I guess is not in RedBull’s spirit.

  15. it’s far too obvious for Hamilton to just waltz into the RBR motorhome, silly really! I do wonder what it’s about though…any ideas anyone?

    Boosting his value prior to new contract negotiations with Mclaren probably.

  16. I so hope that Lewis doesnt go to Red Bull. I’ved loved the way he has built himself around the Mclaren empire from day one and would like for him to stay loyal to the team that helped him get to F1. It just wouldnt seem right having Lewis go elsewhere at this time in his career. His time will come again, Mclaren are not exactly slow!

  17. I wonder why Martin Whitmarsh so happy when ever Button won, but not Lewis, so i think the reason Hmailton leaves this team is just this guy

    1. No disrespect to JB but perhaps Whitmarsh almost expects LH to win where as with JB its a bit of a surprise. In situations like Sunday you can hardly blame Whitmarsh for being ecstatic, i mean what a crazy last couple of laps!!

    2. I do think Whitmarsh has a softer spot for JB than Hamilton. I don’t think there’s anything sinister in it though – it may just be because it’s the signing he made, whereas Lewis’ special relationship with McLaren was definitely centred more on Ron Dennis.

    3. I’d be interested to see if anyone has any links to interviews or videos which shows Whitmarsh being ‘happier’ when JB has won than Hamilton. If not then it’s just a case of “I reckon…”, which proves nothing.

      1. I disagreed with these comments in the past but I now believe there is something in them. However maybe it was just the surprise of the win the weekend.
        Whitmarsh’s comments, tone, body language, happiness was much more obvious than when discussing Hamiltons win a few months back

    4. I think theres some serious over analysing going on here.

      If anything, it could simply be that MW feels vindicated for bring JB to McLaren. But I find even that hard to believe.

      I dont think theres any bias either way.

  18. TheGodfather
    14th June 2011, 11:51

    Talking of Martin (Whitmarsh) and Lewis (Hamilton): just look back to the last famous duo to be named Martin (Dean) and Lewis (Jerry), they lasted for 10 years and then split up and never spoke again for 20 years… Is that the way McLaren are going?

  19. Poor children

  20. LH going to RedBull mmmmmm! with him there they will have to rename to RedMist

    1. Or rather “Red Mist”. Red Bull is two words.

  21. @BBT

    Totally agree! That is the first thing I thought when
    I heard about it also. Hamilton and Vettel in the same team would certainly make for interesting viewing but would certainly pose certain problems for Red Bull. For me I find Vettel and Hamilton as two peas in a pod, both are aggressive and highly ambitious racing drivers who have both enjoyed superb backing in their careers from their current respective teams.
    Most importantly, Red Bull are the team to beat right now and are doing so without causing any dramas. Personally, I feel that Hamilton has had his nose put out of joint at McLaren due to the popularity of Jenson Button at the team. We all know that Lewis since 2007 was the ‘team favourite’, certainly when he was paired with Fernando Alonso, and enjoyed a good relationship with Ron Dennis.
    That has changed since Martin Whitmarsh took charge I am sure and may not have been to Lewis’ benefit. But all this aside, to leave McLaren would be a big gamble for Hamilton in the long term. McLaren have always been there or thereabouts as a team in their history, they seldom build duff cars and have a rich history in winning championships to prove it. You only have to look at Alonso’s recent contract entension to see that Fernando has faith in Ferrari’s longterm future and capabilities in building him winning racing cars, which I believe was a great decision.
    So, I don’t think Lewis is that foolish, unless Red Bull come knocking in 2013 with such a cash laden contract, I can’t see Hamilton jumping ship anytime soon!

  22. Hamilton just wishes to be in a equally good car, not a car that dominates the competition.

    1. It’s more Vettel than the RB7 that’s dominating at the moment.

  23. Horner apparently disagrees with Lauda.

    McLaren is Hamilton’s alma mater, but it’s very simple here. No one is going to get a half-dozen titles driving a Paddy Lowe car. Lowe seems very accomplished, but the history of the sport is very clear: There have been only 3-4 guys in a generation able to pen a dominant series of cars, and only one of them is still in the sport.

  24. Ran into a link to this full series of pictures of Kubica leaving the clinic in Poland. A bit voyeuristic to have em all, but some give a good indication of his mobility and there are closups of his hand/arm

  25. How about looking at this another way:

    Why does everyone assume that it is Lewis that is considering leaving Mclaren? Maybe Mclaren aren’t sure how much longer they want to commit to Lewis?

    Its not like he has been bagging that many race wins the last few years and he is sort of a PR disaster.

    1. How about looking at it this way: Only three drivers have won more races for McLaren than Lewis Hamilton. You might recall their names—Senna, Prost, and Hakkinen.

  26. @DaveW: you can’t make it any clearer than that! well done sir.

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