Horner: I've known Anthony Hamilton for many years...

Horner added that there had been no serious discussions and there was in any case no seat available alongside triple champion Max Verstappen.

Seven-times F1 world champion Hamilton denied on Thursday that anyone in his management team had approached Horner, who caused a stir with comments in the Daily Mail newspaper suggesting the Mercedes driver had talks with others before signing a new deal.

The 38-year-old said Horner in fact messaged him, sending a text to an old phone number that he only received much later, and was stirring things up.

Horner told Sky Sports television on Friday that the contact was made by Anthony Hamilton who had texted with "an enquiring and suggestive question" and added: "I don’t know what role Anthony plays in Lewis' setup or management, he’s got some form of relationship. I don’t think he was enquiring about himself to come and drive."

The story has been the talk of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix paddock, perhaps reflecting the lack of other drama with dominant Red Bull securing both titles long ago and winning all but one race this year.

Horner later rubbed in extra salt at a press conference in which he highlighted Mercedes' fall from dominance since a controversial 2021 finale at the same Yas Marina Circuit: "It's entirely normal for drivers, drivers' representatives and drivers' parents to have different conversations during the course of a year.

"I've known Anthony Hamilton for many years, he's a good guy, he's a proud racing father. Let's face it, Lewis hasn't won a grand prix for two years. It's inevitable that questions will be asked up and down the paddock, but there was never any engagement," insister the Red Bull boss.

Horner doubted Mercedes would have been surprised to hear about the approach while they were negotiating a new two-year deal with Hamilton: "He's the most successful driver of all time.

"But hasn't won a grand prix since 2021. You haven't got to be a rocket scientist to work that out. And I doubt I was the only one that there was an enquiry made to," added Horner.