Lewis Hamilton held a “secret meeting” with Red Bull in 2012 prior to joining Mercedes, claims Christian Horner in his new book.
Hamilton, who won his only McLaren world drivers’ championship in 2008, was eyeing a move away from the team in 2012 and eventually joined Mercedes, where he won an astonishing six titles across 12 years with the Silver Arrows.
However, in his new memoir Drive, Horner has revealed that Hamilton met him and designer Adrian Newey for a meeting to discuss joining Red Bull – who were in the midst of their first reign of dominance with Sebastian Vettel’s four consecutive championships.
“When a secret meeting was then called, with Lewis, at Adrian’s house near Ascot, my gut instinct was confirmed,” Horner wrote. “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.”
Horner then described Red Bull’s motorsport adviser Helmut Marko's apprehension, despite the “tantalising prospect” of Hamilton joining the team.
“Lewis’s arrival would likely impact Sebastian, his [Marko’s] protege, and he was clearly feeling apprehensive. Intrigued, I tested the waters anyway.”
However, Horner went on to write that the “stumbling block was money” due to the “staggering sums” involved. He added: “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.”
As such, after an initial approach and pitch from three-time F1 world champion Niki Lauda, Hamilton opted for a move to Mercedes. He went on to win six drivers’ championships – the most any driver has won for just one team – before joining Ferrari in 2025.
Mercedes dominated the hybrid era, which started in 2014, before Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won four titles in a row from 2021 to 2024.