08/10/2014
NEWS STORY
McLaren dismisses claim that Lewis Hamilton is to return to Woking in 2015 as partnership with Honda is revived.
A report this morning says that the Briton will return next year after he "visited the Woking base three weeks ago to sign for the team starting from next season".
"Lewis was in the Woking factory three weeks ago," the site quotes a source as saying. "He arrived by helicopter, had a conversation about two hours with the management and then left with a big smile on his face. He signed here, I can assure you. A seat fitting has not happened yet, but that will take place in the foreseeable future."
Contacted by Pitpass, a McLaren spokesman said: "This report is utterly without foundation, which is hardly surprising given the ultra-unreliable website on which it has appeared [F1Today.net]. As Ron Dennis said in Suzuka, McLaren has finalised no contracts with any drivers for 2015."
Speaking at the weekend, Niki Lauda said a deal with Hamilton has already been agreed - though not publicly confirmed - the Austrian admitting that he would like to extend it.
In a sensational move Red Bull announced on Saturday morning that Sebastian Vettel is to leave the team at season end, team boss Christian Horner claiming that the German is heading to Ferrari.
With no official word from the Italian team on Vettel, or indeed Fernando Alonso, who is rumoured to have been told last Thursday that he is free to go, the paddock (and ether) is awash with speculation. Some more reasonable than other.
Chris Balfe