Christian Horner points damning finger at Lewis Hamilton for Max Verstappen crash

British Grand Prix

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Horner points damning finger at Hamilton for Verstappen crash

Verstappen retired from the British Grand Prix after the first-lap collision with Hamilton

Ewan Gale

Sunday 18 July 2021 16:36 Updated: 17:47

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Christian Horner has furiously pointed the finger at Lewis Hamilton over the dramatic first-lap incident with Max Verstappen at the British Grand Prix.

The championship rivals were side-by-side throughout the opening lap with Hamilton battling to get past the Red Bull driver for the lead at Silverstone.

On the run down to Copse, Hamilton had a slipstream and ducked to the inside, the opposite path to what he took in Saturday's sprint, with his left-front tyre connecting with Verstappen's right-rear, sending the Dutchman heavily into the barriers.

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Talking to FIA race director Michael Masi over radio, Horner fumed: "Michael, look, that corner, he was never anywhere near alongside.

"Every driver that has ever driven here knows you do not stick a wheel up the inside of copse. That is an enormous accident and it was 100 per cent Max's corner.

"So as far as I am concerned, full blame lays on Hamilton who should never have been in that position. You could have had a massive accident. Thank God he has walked away unscathed. I hope you deal with it appropriately."

Masi replied: "Understood Christian, that is why it has gone up now that things have calmed down for a second that it is under investigation."

Red Bull team manager Jonathan Wheatley added: "I have watched this replay several times now and I am really cross about it. That corner there is not a place to stick a wheel up the inside of a car."

Mercedes, of course, have a different view on the incident with sporting director Ron Meadows insisting: "Lewis was significantly alongside at turn nine."

Toto Wolff was urgently trying to influence decisions from the stewards, also hounding Masi.

"Michael, I just sent you an email with the diagrams. Did you get them? Maybe you should look at this because there is something with the rules coming out." said Wolff, before Masi replied with "I don't check my emails during a race".

Verstappen under observation after incident

Verstappen was winded in the immediate aftermath of the incident after colliding heavily with the barriers, but Horner confirmed his driver would undergo precautionary checks at the medical centre.

"Thank god he walked away, that is the biggest result we will have today," added Horner.

"Just relieved to see him, he is in the medical centre, but he has walked in there on his own, he is doing a 30-minute precautionary check but hopefully, so far so good."

"Thank god we haven't had a driver seriously injured or worse today."

Hamilton was eventually given a 10-second time penalty.