Horner claimed that the contact came from Hamilton’s father Anthony, though the seven-time World Champion denied this, accusing Horner of “stirring”.

Cost and tension rules out Lewis Hamilton-Max Verstappen dream team

Hamilton earlier in the season committed to a new Mercedes contract, signing fresh terms with the team with whom he was won six World Championship titles to take him to the end of 2025.

Verstappen though has had the title scene on lockdown since 2021 as Hamilton and Mercedes search for a breakthrough to return to title-contending ways.

Ever since their epic 2021 Championship battle, the potential of a Verstappen and Hamilton dream team at Red Bull has been longed for by many fans, but Marko said that as soon as Horner showed him the messages sounding out a Hamilton to Red Bull move, he made it clear that could not happen.

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On top of the “tension” which exists between the drivers, Marko said Red Bull could not afford to have the two highest-paid F1 stars in their line-up.

“Christian informed me and showed me the text message he received, but I told him: ‘Hamilton and Max, that doesn’t work,’” said Marko, as per Motorsport.com.

“There was too much action and how should I say, in 2021, tension. And on the other hand, we cannot afford to have the two most expensive drivers in one team.

“It’s just never going to happen. So I told Christian: ‘No way.’”

As Verstappen goes in search of a fourth World Championship in F1 2024, while Red Bull look to maintain their stranglehold on the Constructors’ title, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is promising a concept change for the W15, one to create a “more conventional” challenger, sparking the possibility of a more Red Bull-esque design.