F1 boss says he would NOT sign Lewis Hamilton for bizarre reason – before immediately contradicting himself
F1 BOSS Guenther Steiner has claimed he would not sign Lewis Hamilton – because the star is too old.
The seven-times world champion turned 38 in January but continues to race at a high level for Mercedes.
Haas team principal Steiner, who has became popular for his starring role in Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, was asked the hypothetical question of which driver he would take for his team.
He rejected Hamilton for age-related reasons but appeared to contradict himself straight away as he weighed up Fernando Alonso, who is the oldest driver on the grid at 41.
Steiner told Sky Sports: “I wouldn’t say Lewis. Because he’s getting on with age but there is another one which he is very good.
“This is Fernando. I mean, the guy is over 40 and, man, he knows how to drive.”
The Haas boss instead considered some of the younger drivers on the grid for his hypothetical choice, including Hamilton’s teammate.
He said: “I think it will be controversial, but I can be open about it because they are not coming to drive for me anyway! That’s solved that problem of the controversy.
“I think it would be Max [Verstappen] for sure. And either Charles [Leclerc] or George Russell.
“I think [Verstappen], in the moment, is just a driver, which talent wise and mentally wise, is just on a peak. He’s just on top of the wave, he can do anything with a car in the moment.
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“Everything seems to be going right for him.”
Haas’ current line up is Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.
The former pulled off one of the stories of last season when he took a shock pole position in Brazil while Hulkenberg has returned to a full-time drive after years on the sidelines.