Lewis Hamilton revived his Formula One title defence by winning the British Grand Prix after a first lap crash that left championship leader Max Verstappen complaining he had been “taken out”.
Hamilton retorted after the race that he would “not be bullied”.
Roared on by a crowd of more than 140,000, Hamilton attempted to overtake championship leader Verstappen on Copse corner on the first lap.
Verstappen refused to yield. The two touched wheels and the Red Bull went 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. “Very disappointed with being taken out like this.”
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