Max Verstappen explains ‘headbutting’ tyre wall moment which cost him earlier title win

Mercedes boss hopes ‘robbed’ Lewis Hamilton will continue racing

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen believes the British Grand Prix crash with Lewis Hamilton contributed to the championship title going down to the wire this season after the Dutchman ended up in hospital. Hamilton and Verstappen tangled a Copse Corner on the opening lap of the race, as the Red Bull driver was sent spearing into the tyre wall at 180mph with a 51g impact.

Despite it being one of the stand-out moments from the blockbuster season, at the time Verstappen and his team-principal were left fuming as Hamilton celebrated a win in front of his home crowd with the Dutchman in a local hospital for precautionary tests.

As the season ebbed and flowed between the two, Hamilton’s resurgence in the latter part of the season saw the pair level on points heading into the final race of the season.

After more controversy, Verstappen was crowned champion of the world, and Hamilton was denied an eighth world title.

Asked about his key moments from the season, Horner started by saying: “There have been some big moments.

“It was important to get those victories, the run of results [France and double-header in Austria]. Then there were moments like Azerbaijan [Verstappen’s tyre blowout] we had to come back from.

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“It was important to come back strong, and Max did that, and then Silverstone was a key moment, and again how he came back from that.

“For me, in the latter part of the championship, particularly Austin, where we were certainly the underdog on that day, he delivered a victory that was truly outstanding.”

Verstappen, who was asked the same question, added: “Same as Christian. Headbutting the tyre wall in Silverstone wasn’t that great.

“These were key moments otherwise it would have been decided a lot earlier.

“Especially towards the end of the season, getting a few wins where we didn’t expect it, or a pole position, or even a fastest lap for an extra point.

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“These things actually do matter nowadays when you have a championship fight as we had.”

Hamilton and Mercedes were left bitterly disappointed by the final few laps of the race in Abu Dhabi after a late safety car was deployed.

With a handful of laps remaining, the FIA race director Michael Masi told the five lapped cars between leader Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves, but confusion followed as the Australian didn’t allow the entire field to do the same before getting racing back underway.

Mercedes were left fuming as Verstappen swept past the seven-time world champion on fresher tyres in a last-lap dash to the chequered flag.

Despite protests from Mercedes which were dismissed by stewards, the team decided not to pursue it further.

The Dutchman was officially handed the world championship trophy four days after the contentious season final in Abu Dhabi at the FIA’s annual prize-giving ceremony with all eyes now set on the 2022 regulation changes in Formula One.

Hamilton opted against travelling to the event in Paris, with Mercedes still fuming after the race at Yas Marina that saw the seven-time world champion denied glory.

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