Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari chairman John Elkann have met socially but talk of a move for the six times Formula One world champion is premature, according to chief executive Louis Camilleri.
Ferrari had previously not confirmed the meetings, while not denying them either.
“I think it has been public that Lewis has had conversations with our chairman,” Camilleri told reporters invited to a lunch at the Italian team’s Maranello factory.
“It was a social event, which has sort of been blown somewhat out of proportion, but it was a social event. They have some common friends.”
Italian media have reported Hamilton twice met Elkann this year, triggering speculation that the 34-year-old Briton could move to glamour team Ferrari once his Mercedes contract expires at the end of 2020.
Team boss Mattia Binotto said at the lunch that Ferrari were “flattered that Lewis, in particular, and other drivers want to come and join us.”
Asked whether Ferrari might let Hamilton have the same freedoms he enjoys at Mercedes, with the Briton pursuing interests in fashion and music and outspoken on the environment and racial issues, Camilleri drew a line under the questioning.
“Honestly, I don’t want to go there. You are trying to push a bit too hard on the Lewis story,” he said.
“It’s totally premature and we’ll look at our options at the appropriate time and we will see what is the best fit for us as a team.”
Ferrari’s 2020 line-up is four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, who will also be out of contract, and 22-year-old Monegasque Charles Leclerc who has a longer-term deal.
Vettel’s future has been the subject of much speculation after Leclerc won more races, pole positions and points than the German this year.
Binotto said Vettel remained “a key driver” and “central to our projects” with Leclerc learning a lot from him, but he also left no doubt that the future was open.
“I think that with Seb we need to sit down…to understand his intentions,” he added.
“I think we need to see as well the performance and how he does fit with the car and his motivation for the future.”
Hamilton has said he is also waiting for Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to decide his own future, with the Austrian talked of as an eventual replacement for Formula One chairman Chase Carey, appointed by commercial rights holders Liberty Media.
