Former Mercedes boss Norbert Haug has revealed that Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel could have become teammates in 2008.
Haug said that he had tried to work a deal out that would see Vettel join McLaren from Toro Rosso.
“I had negotiated with Sebastian during his time with Toro Rosso,” Haug told F1-Insider.com.
“Who knows how the history of Formula 1 would have developed if we had reached an agreement back then?
“But, in the top league of Formula 1, everyone negotiates with everyone at some point and those who don’t admit it simply keep it to themselves. But it’s still true!”
Lewis Hamilton hit the tracks running in his first season with McLaren back in 2007. He ended the season in second spot, with just a one-point difference.
Meanwhile, Vette made his debut the same year with BMW-Sauber before signing with Toro Rosso.
While both drivers were in their formative years, it would have been an exciting pair to watch!
Who knows if they would have gone on to win as many championships if they had decided to race in the same team.
Although that partnership never materialised, Haug is at least pleased with the fact that Mercedes and McLaren are now working together.
“That pleases me very much,” he said. “We had a great and most successful 15 years together, and the McLaren-Mercedes Silver Arrows with Häkkinen, Coulthard and later Hamilton were a quality concept in Formula 1 during this time.
“I would be pleased if it would be the same again. With Andreas Seidl, there is a racer at the helm who knows where the top step of the podium is and how to get there – since things have been on the up again.”