Hamilton doesn't feel he needs to apologise for Verstappen F1 clash
Lewis Hamilton doesn't feel he needs to apologise for his Formula 1 British Grand Prix clash with Max Verstappen but will contact him after discovering he was taken to hospital.
The reigning F1 world champion collided with his Red Bull rival on the opening lap of the Silverstone race at Copse when the pair were running side-by-side with Verstappen on the outside aiming to cut across to defend his lead.
Hamilton's left front wheel hit Verstappen's right rear tyre and sent the Dutch driver into a 51G impact with the tyre barrier and he was later taken to hospital for precautionary checks.
The FIA stewards gave Hamilton a 10-second time penalty for the incident, but Hamilton was still able to recover to reel in Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to take the lead with two laps to go and win his eighth British GP.
Hamilton has come under fire from Red Bull, with team principal Christian Horner calling it an "amateur and desperate mistake" while he said his team could opt to request the FIA to take further action on the incident having felt the in-race penalty wasn't sufficient.
Verstappen has also hit out at Hamilton on social media, calling his move "dangerous" and felt his post-race victory celebrations in front of the Silverstone crowd were "disrespectful" while he was in hospital.
The Mercedes driver, who was speaking in the FIA post-race drivers' press conference before Verstappen's comments were released on his social media channels, feels it was a racing incident and that he doesn't need to apologise for the clash.
"I've not really seen the footage, I saw a quick clip of it when I went back to the garage but I will go back and have time to reflect on it," Hamilton said.
"I don't think, from my current understanding, that I am in a position to have to apologise for anything. We were out there racing."
Hamilton did admit he was concerned for Verstappen when he found out the Dutch driver was taken to hospital for checks and will seek to speak to him to clear the air.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, and Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
"I heard that Max is in hospital and that definitely concerns me," he said. "None of us ever want any of us to ever get injured, that is never my intention, so I really hope that he is OK.
"I'll hit him up after this just to check that he is OK. We live to fight another day, there will be a lot of tough races coming up and we have to learn to strike a decent balance.
"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. Everyone is going to have a different opinion and I don't particularly care what people think. I just do what I do and I am just really grateful for today."
Hamilton also refuted Horner's claims of a "hollow" victory due to Verstappen's retirement on the opening lap but understands the reaction so soon after the race.
"I don't really have anything to say to Christian other than it [the win] doesn't feel hollow," he said. "There are 2000 people in my team who work incredibly hard and it is not just about me.
"I have already said this is not the way or anything I want to happen in the race.
"It is important for all of us to take a step back as emotions are running high and I know what it is like to lose points within the team and be in that position, so I don't generally worry about it."
Hamilton has closed up to eight points behind Verstappen, who still leads the F1 world drivers' championship after the British GP.
Related video
Red Bull F1 team could request FIA to take further action against Hamilton
F1, FIA and Mercedes condemn racist abuse aimed at Hamilton
Binotto praised for helping Vasseur’s Ferrari F1 handover
Former Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Mattia Binotto has been praised by replacement Fred Vasseur for helping talk him through their handover.
Buemi: Diriyah FE pole pace just the beginning, "sad" at how Nissan spell ended
Sebastien Buemi says his pole position pace at the Diriyah E-Prix is "just the beginning", but conceded it left him "sad" at how his time with Nissan ended.
Grosjean upbeat ahead of Lamborghini debut in Daytona 24 Hours
Romain Grosjean has expressed his satisfaction with the build-up to this weekend's Daytona 24 Hours, which will mark his first outing as a factory Lamborghini driver.
Van der Linde pleased by Diriyah FE qualifying despite "uphill battle" debut
Kelvin van der Linde was buoyed by his Diriyah E-Prix qualifying performance after minimal running, although felt his first Formula E race was an "uphill battle".
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 ‘holiday’ races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
What Porsche social media frenzy says about F1’s manufacturer allure
Porsche whipped up a frenzy thanks to a cryptic social media post last week and, although it turned out to be a false alarm, it also highlighted why manufacturers remain such an important element in terms of the attraction that they bring to F1. It is little wonder that several other manufacturers are bidding for a slice of the action
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.