That is according to Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater, who has analysed the situation following Horn꧑er’s bombshell interview with the that was published on Wednesday evening. 

Horner sensationally claimed Hamilton’s manag💝ement reached out to Red Bull and also met with Ferrari chairman John Elkann before the seven-time world champion put pen to paper on a new two-year dealౠ with Mercedes. 

“I got in touch with Red Bull, they say ‘yes absolut🌞ely, Ho💞rner stands by this, that a known Hamilton representative made contact with him’,” Slater told Sky Sports News. 

“They wouldn’t specify how in-depth this contact was, particularly. But, it happened. That’s ♏the🦂 interesting aspect to this.

“Lewis has ultimately re-signed with Mercedes for a couple of years, he did♔ so in Aug🤪ust.

“He did speak during the contract negotiation𒀰 process, about not looking anywhere else.”&nb﷽sp;

Mercedes consider the suggestion to be “implausible” and implied Horner sim🌺ply wanted to generate headlines by using Hamilton’s name, according to Slater.&nbs🐻p;

“So, I did get in touc𒁃h with Mercedes who tell me they are relaxed, and𒅌 not stressed about any of this,” he continued. 

“As far as they see it, they think it’s rather implausib💎le. But it would be, in their view, for a representative of Hamilton to go and see what else was out there, what future opportunities might be ou📖t there.

“But they’re not taking it particularly seriously. It is not,♚ in any way, an issue between t🌳he team and Lewis, even if this did happen - which they’re not convinced it did.

“It could even be🔯 the case t꧋hat Lewis didn’t know about this contact, necessarily.

“One insider, connected with th𓄧e team, observed to me that this is Horner ne▨eding to use Lewis’ name to make headlines.

“Maybe 🌱this is friction arising between these rival teams. Horner has stirred the pot.”