Lewis Hamilton branded "disrespectful and unsportsmanlike" by furious Verstappen
Max Verstappen has slammed Lewis Hamilton as "disrespectful and unsportsmanlike" for his celebrations after winning the British Grand Prix.
Hamilton was given a 10-second penalty for his role in a high-speed crash which saw Verstappen slam into the tyre barriers on the opening lap.
Verstappen was taken to hospital as a precaution after the incident whilst Hamilton hunted down Charles Leclerc late on to win his home Grand Prix.
The victory sparked wild celebrations at Silverstone – which left a bitter taste in the mouth of Verstappen as he watched on from hospital feeling battered and bruised.
The Dutchman wrote on Twitter : "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 behavior but we move on."
Hamilton admitted in his post-race interview with Sky Sports that he was unaware Verstappen had been taken to hospital having originally walked away from the crash.
"I didn't know he was in hospital," Hamilton said during an interview with Sky Sports.
He later insisted the incident did not overshadow his win, which could prove a huge moment in the World Championship race.
"Honestly, no it doesn’t [take a shine off it]. This is racing," Hamilton said.
"Of course I would love to be able to race and us to leave each other space and there is plenty of space on the track for us to get around and manage for a long time without colliding with someone.
"But when someone is just too aggressive, these things are bound to happen and there’s not a single driver here that doesn’t know how aggressive a driver can be.
"There’s not really much more for me to say. I hope he’s OK. OF course I would love to have a wheel to wheel battle for the whole race.
“I enjoy racing with him, but I would never back down from everyone and I would not be bullied into being less aggressive.
"Today, this weekend, we needed the points, there was a gap, he left a gap and I went for it."
Red Bull chief Christian Horner slammed Hamilton's "hollow victory" and echoed Verstappen's views that the move was "dangerous".
Horner, speaking to Sky Sports after the race, said: “It shouldn’t be like that, to be honest with you.
“Max has incurred a 51g accident. Lewis Hamilton is an eight-time world champion, he shouldn’t be making manoeuvres like that. It’s unacceptable.
“Thank goodness, the biggest result for us today is that he’s uninjured, he’s having to go to hospital for [precautionary checks.
“I hope Lewis is very happy with himself.
“He stuck a wheel up the inside in a corner you just know you don’t do that. You just don’t stick a wheel up the inside at Copse, in that corner, in those circumstances.
“He was nowhere near ahead, it was contact, left front to right rear, and the speed they’re travelling, It’s one of the fastest corners in the championship.
“Lewis has got more than enough experience to know that’s unacceptable and, as I say, I”m just very disappointed that a driver of his calibre should make such a move.
“It’s dangerous, he’s put a competitor at risk, it looked desperate and thank goodness uninjured, he’s in hospital getting himself checked out.
“I don’t care what Lewis says, have a look on your own analysis, draw your own comparisons.
“For me, that’s a hollow victory.”
“It wasn’t much of a penalty really, was it,” he added.
Source: Read Full Article