Could Lewis Hamilton have replaced Mark Webber at Red Bull?

Before the Red Bull driver duo made sparks fly on the Sepang track, host of the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, Bernie Ecclestone revealed the interest Lewis Hamilton had shown in 2012 towards the Austrian team before ultimately settling for Mercedes.

Indeed, in an interview with the Daily Mail, the Formula 1 financial chief spoke about advanced discussions between Red Bull and the British driver during the 2012 British Grand Prix. These discussions, coupled with Mark Webber’s victory at the said Grand Prix and Ferrari’s interest in the Australian driver, supposedly hastened the contract extension for the great Mark, announced following Silverstone: « Dietrich [Mateschitz] is someone truly honest, a straightforward guy, and he told Mark that the door was open for him to stay. It was nice of him. If Mark had left, Dietrich would have signed Lewis. »

According to Bernie Ecclestone, Lewis Hamilton could have teamed up with Sebastian Vettel, a possibility that would not have bothered the now triple world champion German, also according to the octogenarian: « It wouldn’t have concerned Sebastian if Lewis had signed with the team. »

The rest of the story, everyone knows it: Lewis Hamilton eventually signed a three-season contract with the Mercedes team. A decision to which Bernie Ecclestone claims not to be a stranger: “And why not Mercedes, Lewis?” he supposedly suggested to the 2008 world champion. According to Bernie Ecclestone, “Lewis looked up to the sky”: “But I told him he had nothing to lose as he wanted to leave McLaren.”

For his part, and unsurprisingly, Lewis Hamilton downplays the interest he might have had in Red Bull and seems to question his relationship with Bernie Ecclestone: “For I don’t know what reasons, he seems to make comments only about me. It makes me a bit nervous because we have a pretty good relationship and I’m quite open to talking with him about many subjects. I really don’t know what to say about his statements. […] I told my management team to talk to all the teams and tell me what the best options were. There wasn’t a team I particularly insisted on.” And the 2008 world champion concludes: “In the end, I’m with Mercedes and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

The former McLaren driver also took the opportunity to deny any intention of taking a sabbatical year that he might have had, which had been the subject of speculation last season: « I don’t think I would leave this sport unless I no longer had good feelings or the smile and energy when I get in the car. I love the competition, so there’s no reason to stop. I’m happy! I think Bernie has a better memory than I do. »

In Melbourne, during an interview with the Telegraph, Christian Horner, director of the Red Bull team, has formally ruled out the possibility of a Hamilton-Vettel duo on the Milton Keynes side: « Lewis is a fantastically fast driver and has expressed interest in a seat with the team in the past, but it would not have been the right decision for the team. I have great admiration for his talent, but I don’t think Lewis and Sebastian would make a good duo. » Indeed, the Austrian team already seems to have enough problems with its current drivers and does not want to create more by lining up two of the three best drivers on the grid.