Former F1 driver Christijan Albers has claimed Christian Horner was 'very unprofessional' with his recent comments on Lewis Hamilton.
The Red Bull chief sparked controversy before the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by saying a member of the 38-year-old's team had reached out to him about a potential switch.
Hamilton then proceeded to deny the claims, insisting Horner was looking to 'stir things'.
And Albers has now condemned Horner for his comments, insisting he should be 'more classy' after being 'very unprofessional'.
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton has denied recent claims made by Christian Horner
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"You know whether it happened or not, that is actually secretly not relevant at all," he said.
"What is relevant is the professionalism you have to exude as a team.
"If you have such a big team under your belt and you are team boss there with such good results, you don't need this at all."
Albers continued: "I think it's just not done. Long story short: I just find it very unprofessional.
"You have to make sure you are classy and that this stays within the living rooms.
"You shouldn't bring things like this out, because now other drivers do watch out, they will think twice if they are with a team like Ferrari or Mercedes or another top team and they start talking to another team."
While Hamilton has denied the claims, however, Horner has been left stunned by the reaction of F1 fans.
Some think the Red Bull chief was in the wrong.
But others do suspect there was something to the 50-year-old's words, especially given Hamilton's recent struggles in the sport.
The 38-year-old hasn't won a race in two years, with Max Verstappen dominating the sport instead.
Yet Horner thinks the situation has been blown out of proportion.
"It's amazing the fuss that's come out of this," he told Sky Sports.
"It's not unusual for there to be an exchange.
"I've known Anthony Hamilton for 15-16 years, so inevitably there's often an exchange during the course of the season.
"There's quite a lot that seems to have been read into this.
"I had an exchange. Anthony's a nice guy.
"He reached out, I think, I can't remember, regarding around Sergio, and just asked an enquiring and suggestive question.
"I don't know what role Anthony plays in Lewis' setup or management, but he's got some form of relationship.
"I don't think he was enquiring about himself to come and drive."
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F1 news: Christian Horner has been amazed by the backlash to his recent comments on Lewis Hamilton
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Hamilton is now set to spend some time recharging his batteries after his mixed season in F1.
Reports have claimed he's viewed a luxury mansion in Los Angeles as he looks to expand his propert portfolio.
Whether he can return next season and challenge Verstappen for F1 supremacy remains to be seen.
