Publications
Partners
LONDON, England - Lewis Hamilton aimed to join world champions Red Bull instead of Mercedes, but the deal did not materialise because Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz was loyal to Mark Webber, Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying.
Ecclestone said that talks between the 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull were held in summer for the Briton to join now three-times reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Hamilton eventually left McLaren for Mercedes after Red Bull Webber, who himself had allegedly looked into a move to Ferrari, and Red Bull renewed their partnership for 2013 in summer.
'HAD WEBBER LEFT...'
Ecclestone said: "Had Mark gone, Dietrich would have signed Lewis. Dietrich is a very honest, straightforward guy and told Mark the door was open for him to stay. That was good of him."
Ecclestone said that Red Bull's number one Vettel would have had no problem with Hamilton joining the three-times constructors' world champions.
"Sebastian wouldn't have cared if Lewis had signed for the team," he said.
Ecclestone said he recommended to Hamilton the move to Mercedes, who are less competitive than Red Bull. Hamilton took the place of record world champion Michael Schumacher at the German team.
'Why not talk to Mercedes, Lewis? Lewis rolled his eyes ... but I told him that he had nothing to lose as he wanted out of McLaren," Ecclestone said.
Ecclestone said that talks between the 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull were held in summer for the Briton to join now three-times reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Hamilton eventually left McLaren for Mercedes after Red Bull Webber, who himself had allegedly looked into a move to Ferrari, and Red Bull renewed their partnership for 2013 in summer.
'HAD WEBBER LEFT...'
Ecclestone said: "Had Mark gone, Dietrich would have signed Lewis. Dietrich is a very honest, straightforward guy and told Mark the door was open for him to stay. That was good of him."
Ecclestone said that Red Bull's number one Vettel would have had no problem with Hamilton joining the three-times constructors' world champions.
"Sebastian wouldn't have cared if Lewis had signed for the team," he said.
Ecclestone said he recommended to Hamilton the move to Mercedes, who are less competitive than Red Bull. Hamilton took the place of record world champion Michael Schumacher at the German team.
'Why not talk to Mercedes, Lewis? Lewis rolled his eyes ... but I told him that he had nothing to lose as he wanted out of McLaren," Ecclestone said.