P1racenews AI automatic summary:
During the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend it emerged that Lewis Hamilton was potentially in talks with Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner over a drive at the team partnering Max Verstappen. Hamilton denied the talks, but Jacques Villeneuve thinks he looked into the possibility.
Jacque Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 World Champion, believes that talks probably did happen between Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull, despite both parties denying it openly. He suggests that drivers are not allowed to directly speak to other teams while under contract, so they often use intermediaries or people not officially connected with them to have those conversations. Villeneuve acknowledges that if rumors start circulating, the involved parties will deny them to avoid any repercussions. He questions who is there to fact-check and hold anyone accountable in such situations. Ultimately, Villeneuve implies that talks between Hamilton and Red Bull might have occurred, but it is unlikely that either side would admit to it publicly.
