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'Shame on you': F1 world fumes over 'disgraceful' Lewis Hamilton act

Sam Goodwin
·Sports Editor
·4-min read
Lewis Hamilton, pictured here celebrating on the podium after the British Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium alongside Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas after the British Grand Prix. (Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) (Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Max Verstappen has blasted Lewis Hamilton for celebrating his victory at the British Grand Prix after causing a crash that left Verstappen in hospital.

Hamilton revived his Formula One title defence on Sunday by winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

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However Hamilton was punished for a first lap crash and left championship leader Verstappen complaining he had been "taken out".

Roared on by a crowd of more than 140,000, Hamilton attempted to overtake Verstappen on Copse corner on the first lap.

Verstappen refused to yield and the two touched wheels, sending the Red Bull driver careening off the track and into the barrier.

Hamilton drove on with just a broken wheel rim.

"Glad I'm ok," tweeted Verstappen from hospital after the race. "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."

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner accused Hamilton of putting Verstappen's life at risk with a "desperate" collision.

Horner said the Mercedes star - the most successful driver in the history of Formula One - made an amateur error in trying to pass on the opening lap and dismissed the Briton's 99th career victory as "hollow".

He said Hamilton had put a fellow competitor's safety "in jeopardy".

"We're just lucky today, unfortunately after a 51-G accident, that there wasn't somebody seriously hurt," he said.

"What I'm most angry about is the lack of judgement, or the misjudgement and desperation.

"Thankfully we got away with it today but had that been an awful lot worse, a 10-second penalty would have looked pretty meaningless.

"Copse is one of the fastest corners in the world. You don’t stick a wheel up the inside. That’s just dirty driving.”

Max Verstappen,s car, pictured here after the terrifying high-speed crash.
Max Verstappen walked away unscathed after the terrifying high-speed crash. Image: F1

Lewis Hamilton says nothing to apologise for

The controversial clash slashed Verstappen's championship lead from 33 points before the race to a mere eight after 10 rounds.

Hamilton was handed the time penalty for causing the collision but raced back to take the lead from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc with two laps to spare.

It was his record eighth win at Silverstone.

Hamilton said he had nothing to apologise for when told of Horner's comments after the race.

"I don't really have anything to say to Christian. The win doesn't feel hollow," he said.

"I don't think I am in a position to have to apologise for anything. We are out there racing.

"I heard that Max is in hospital and that definitely concerns me. None of us here ever want to see a driver injured.

"That is never my intention and so I really hope he is OK, and I will hit him up after this to check he's OK.

"I don't agree with the stewards but I take my penalty on the chin and get on with my job. I am not going to whine about it."

However fans disagreed, taking aim at Hamilton on social media.

with agencies

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