F1

MAX VERSTAPPEN slammed Lewis Hamilton for ‘disrespectful’ British Grand Prix celebrations after blaming his rival for their first-lap crash.The Brit attempted to take the lead in a thrilling battle from lights out at Silverstone, which ended with Verstappen being clipped from behind and hurtling into the barrier at 180mph.
Lewis Hamilton celebrated his win after an early tangle with Max VerstappenCredit: PA
The Brit’s title rival had left the race for hospital checks
Medics sent the Dutchman, 23, to hospital as a precaution after he had gingerly exited the mangled car.
Formula One stewards handed out a ten-second time penalty to Hamilton, 36, despite his claims that he was alongside Verstappen and therefore allowed to attempt the risky overtake.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner angrily castigated the Mercedes driver, who recovered from the setback to win the race after a late overtake of Charles Leclerc.
And Verstappen was left seething after watching Hamilton’s celebrations in front of the 140,000 fans from hospital.
He tweeted after the race: “Glad I’m ok.
“Very disappointed with being taken out like this.
“The penalty given does not help us and doesn’t do justice to the dangerous move Lewis made on track.
“Watching the celebrations while still in hospital is disrespectful and unsportsmanlike behaviour but we move on.”
The Dutchman was released later on Sunday evening, writing on Instagram: “Cleared from the hospital after all the checks were ok. Thank you to everyone for all the nice messages and best wishes.”
Hamilton had asked his team radio if Verstappen was okay while nursing his slightly damaged Merc back to the pits, once the race had been temporarily red-flagged to clear the wreckage.
Horner, 47, had claimed the victory must feel ‘hollow’ for the reigning world champion.
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It’s important for all of us to take a step back, I’m sure emotions are running high.Lewis Hamilton
He said: “Thank goodness the biggest result for us today is [Max] was uninjured.
“He’s having to go to hospital for precautionary checks after a 51G accident so I hope Lewis is very happy with himself.”
But Hamilton shot back that he has every fight to enjoy the moment.
He told reporters: “It doesn’t feel hollow.
“There are 2,000 people that work incredibly hard in my team, it’s not just about me. I said this is not what I want to happen in a race.
“It’s important for all of us to take a step back, I’m sure emotions are running high [at Red Bull] and I know what it’s like to be in that position.”
NO APOLOGY
Having only seen the footage back once when he addressed the matter, Hamilton insisted he had no reason to apologise to Verstappen – having served a penalty that he did not agree with.
The Brit added: “I’ve not seen the footage, I will go and have time to reflect on it.
“I don’t think I’m in a position to have to apologise for anything, we’re out there racing. I’ve heard that Max is in hospital and that definitely concerns me. None of us ever want anyone to get injured.
“That’s never my intention so I really hope that he’s ok and I’ll check that he’s ok.
“I don’t agree with the stewards but I take it on the chin and get on with my job. I’m not going to whine about it, everyone is going to have their opinion but I don’t particularly care what people think.”
Hamilton later looked to calm things down by sending his best wishes to ‘incredible counterpart’ Verstappen.
Today is a reminder of the dangers in this sport. I send my best wishes to Max who is an incredible competitor. I’m glad to hear he is ok. I will always race hard but always fairly. My team showed grit and perseverance out there. It’s a dream to win in front of my home crowd💜🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/3S16uFYmDZ— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 18, 2021

But the Mercedes ace again refused to apologise for his racing style and celebrations in front of home supporters.
Hamilton tweeted: “Today is a reminder of the dangers in this sport.
“I send my best wishes to Max who is an incredible competitor. I’m glad to hear he is ok.
“I will always race hard but always fairly. My team showed grit and perseverance out there.
“It’s a dream to win in front of my home crowd.”
Hamilton took the win to cut Verstappen’s advantage to eight points in the championship standings.
It came thanks to a late overtake on Charles Leclerc at the same corner he clashed with Verstappen – and he praised the Ferrari star for his ‘respectful’ approach.
Hamilton noted: “Charles was very respectful in leaving a gap.
“I got somewhere alongside him so he knew I was there, but he stayed committed and took a wider line and nearly kept it.
“That was great racing, for me in that moment I backed out at one point to make sure we didn’t hit each other but it was a really nice balance and how racing should go.

“In a perfect world that’s what would have happened [vs Max] but… different time, different place, different driver.
He added: “Max is probably one of the most aggressive drivers here, in my opinion, he does a great job of course.
“But I think we have to really try and find the best balance on track, with space and respect between one another so that we can continue racing and have good races without colliding.”
Max Verstappen revealed he had got the all-clear from hospital later on Sunday eveningCredit: Instagram / @maxverstappen1
Red Bull chief Christian Horner was left furious with HamiltonCredit: AP
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IT might be a week late, but finally it did come home. As England beat Italy, even with penalties.Lewis Hamilton overcame a 10-second punishment for clashing with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen before passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with two laps to go.
Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix at SilverstoneCredit: Getty
The Brit paraded the Union Jack in front of the home faithfulCredit: Reuters
An astonishing eighth win for Hamilton in the British Grand Prix came thanks to his victory over the Italian team – making up for last week’s defeat in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
But this victory aside, which slices Verstappen’s lead in the championship to eight points, it will be his first-lap slash with his title rival which dominates the post-race talk.
This clash had been brewing all season as the opening nine races all passed without incident between the two.
There was even some strange bond developing; all rather unusual for F1 drivers and their egos.
However, we all knew it was only a matter of time before they did clash and in the searing heat of Silverstone, tempers boiled over as Hamilton and Verstappen both became over-run by the occasion.
Hamilton, desperate for a win in front of his home crowd to remain in the title hunt – Verstappen, out to crush his opponent in front of a 140,000 crowd and send out a strong marker.
It led to a thrilling start. Hamilton corrected his error from the previous day and made an excellent getaway from the startline.
The two traded places over nine corners, sending the fans into raptures before the inevitable happened.
Hamilton tagged the rear right of Verstappen’s Red Bull, sending him hurtling into the barriers at 180mph.
The hefty impact was measured with a g-force of 51G and understandable led to a red flag as he was picked out of the wreckage.
Hamilton and Max Verstappen engaged in a titanic battle on Lap 1Credit: Reuters
The crash mangled the rear end of the Dutchman’s Red Bull
Verstappen was taken to hospital for checks after the 51G hit
Shaken, winded, he was hurt but managed to walk away from his totaled race car, such is the safety of these machines, but was taken to hospital for extra checks.
Red Bull boss, Christian Horner, was furious that Hamilton had tried the overtaking manoeuvre at Copse and blasted the Brit.
He said: “Thank God he walked away, that’s the biggest result we will have today.
“It is very clear Lewis stuck a wheel on the inside on one of the fastest corners on the calendar.
“Lewis has driven here for years and knows you just don’t do that. Thank God we have not had a driver seriously injured.
“It was a desperate move. He failed to make the move in the first part of the lap and then it was just a desperate move.”
Sensing the incoming wrath of the stewards, Toto Wolff was next to try his luck with the stewards as the Mercedes boss emailed Michael Masi, the Race Director.
Only the Aussie gave Wolff short-shrift, telling him to come and see him if he wanted to discuss the matter.
Hamilton too was in no doubt who was in the wrong, telling his team over the radio: “I was ahead going in there, man. Fully alongside, it was my line. He turned in on me, man.”
The upshot from the 40-minute delay to recover Verstappen’s Red Bull racecar and the necessary repairs to the barriers was that Hamilton was issued with a 10-second time penalty.
Rightly or wrongly. He was hit by the sanction, as has become the preference of the stewards in recent races.
TAKE TWO
At the second restart, Hamilton adopted a different approach as he held second place without putting the squeeze on race leader Charles Leclerc, who had pounced on the tangle to jump him.
Just behind, Lando Norris breezed past Valtteri Bottas while Sebastian Vettel’s spin sunk him to the back of the pack before eventually retiring.
Out in front Leclerc managed some engine issues while Hamilton served his 10-second penalty on lap 28 and when he did return to the race was in fifth place.
But Carlos Sainz’s slow pit stop, plus a neat pass at Copse on Norris – the same place he hit Verstappen – saw Hamilton back up to third.
And then came the order from the Mercedes pitwall for Bottas to allow his teammate through with 12 laps to go.
What would have felt like the final nail in his coffin, extinguishing his hopes of staying with the team next year as Bottas was told: “Team order, do not fight Lewis. We invert the cars into turn 15, this lap.”
Hamilton cut Verstappen’s championship advantage to eight pointsCredit: PA
Mercedes will hope to kickstart a title fightback after the winCredit: Reuters

With Hamilton up to second. It became a grandstand finish as he hunted down Leclerc for the win, slicing into the Ferrari man’s advantage.
It was classic Hamilton as he pounded out the laps going quicker and quicker as he grew ever-larger in Leclerc’s mirrors.
Finally, he got the move done – again at Copse – and with two laps to go to take the chequered flag in front of a rapturous audience.
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HOLLYWOOD legend Tom Cruise was just one of many famous faces at Silverstone on Sunday afternoon for the British Grand Prix.Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, tennis youngster Emma Raducanu and musician Dave were also in attendance.
Tom Cruise led a star-studded list of celebs at Silverstone for the British GPCredit: Getty
Move star Michael Douglas was also at the iconic track on Sunday afternoonCredit: Getty
Sir Mo Farah was spotted wearing a protective boot after failing to qualify for the OlympicsCredit: Getty
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang enjoyed the big eventCredit: Getty
The Arsenal skipper was joined at Silverstone by team-mate Alexandre LacazetteCredit: Getty
Cruise, 59, was arguably the biggest celeb at Silverstone after attending the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy last Sunday.
He was joined at the iconic racing track by fellow movie stars Harrison Ford and Michael Douglas.
Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah was also at the GP wearing a protective boot on his left foot after failing to qualify for the Tokyo Games.
And he wasn’t the only sporting hero in attendance as Auba and Arsenal team-mate Alexandre Lacazette made the journey from North London.
Raducanu, 18, was pictured with the footballers after reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon earlier this month.
The music industry was represented by British rapper Dave, known for his platinum-selling tune ‘Thiago Silva’ – named after the Chelsea defender.
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Breakthrough tennis star Emma Raducanu was in attendanceCredit: Getty
Rapper Dave was spotted at SilverstoneCredit: Getty
Fitness guru Joe Wicks had a picture with Lando Norris’ McLarenCredit: Splash
Brit Norris met Prince Edward and wife SophieCredit: PA

Joe Wicks – aka The Body Coach – was there after helping the nation keep fit during lockdown with his YouTube PE classes.
And royalty were in attendance at Silverstone, with Prince Edward and wife Sophie meeting McLaren star Lando Norris.
Championship leader Max Verstappen endured a nightmare afternoon at the British GP after crashing out in the first lap.
Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton was blamed for the clash and received a 10-second penalty – but still claimed victory at Silverstone.
Hamilton started the race 33 points behind Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship after the Dutchman won Saturday’s historic sprint race.
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