BOSS HORNER IS STIRRING, FUMES LEWIS

LEWIS HAMILTON has accused Christian Horner of “stirring things” after the Red Bull chief claimed Britain’s seven-time world champion wanted to race alongside Max Verstappen next season.

Hamilton (above) signed a new two-year Mercedes deal – understood to be worth £50million a year – in August. But there was speculation over Hamilton’s future for much of the season that has seen Verstappen cruise to his third-straight F1 crown.

And, ahead of this weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, Red Bull team principal Horner (below) claimed they received an approach from Hamilton’s representatives before he committed to Mercedes.

But Hamilton insisted: “I don’t know what he is talking about because as far as I am aware, nobody from my team has spoken to him. I haven’t really spoken to him in years. “He did reach out to me earlier in the year about meeting up but that’s it. I congratulated him on an amazing year and said I hoped I would be fighting with Red Bull in the coming years. That was it, there was no confidential discussion.

“There are a lot of people here that like to drop my name in conversations because they know it will make waves and if you are a little bit lonely, and are not getting much attention, that is the perfect thing to do, just to mention my name. He is stirring things.”

Red Bull supremo Horner has said Hamilton had “serious talks” with Red Bull and also Ferrari.

Asked about the idea of Hamilton joining Red Bull, Verstappen responded: “It isn’t happening, so there is no point on making up if and ifs. I wouldn’t mind him. But I don’t want to put this on Lewis, there are a lot of great drivers.”

Meanwhile, Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff has been handed a formal warning after his X-rated outburst at last weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Wolff lost his cool in a press conference as he defended the organisers – despite a shambolic start when first practice was scrapped after Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari hit a loose drain cover at 210mph.

Lambasting a journalist, Wolff said: “How can you even dare to talk badly about an event that sets the new standard?

“You’re speaking about a f ****** drain cover that’s been undone, and that has happened in F1 before.”