According to Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Lewis Hamilton wanted to move to Red Bull and had advanced discussions with the champions before he agreed a deal to race for Mercedes this season.
Ecclestone told the Mail on Sunday newspaper that the 2008 world champion asked him to broker a move to Sebastian Vettel's team but talks ended when Red Bull's billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz insisted on Australian Mark Webber having first refusal.
Ecclestone says Sebastian wouldn't have cared if Lewis had signed for the team and says had Webber gone, Mateschitz would have signed Hamilton.
Webber, who has been with Red Bull since 2007 and is now the oldest driver in Formula One at 36, had been approached by Ferrari but opted to stay alongside his German team-mate, who is now a triple champion.