Max Verstappen has hospital check-up after big impact with tyre barriers in lap-one clash with Lewis Hamilton; Both sides blamed each other from the race; Hamilton blamed by stewards and handed 10s penalty, but races back to win Silverstone race
Monday 19 July 2021 01:27, UK
Max Verstappen was taken to hospital for precautionary checks after a big impact in his British GP crash following a first-lap collision with Lewis Hamilton.
The Red Bull driver was given the all-clear and released on Sunday night.
Hamilton had continued in the race, which was stopped and then restarted, but was found to have been mainly at fault by stewards for the clash, with a 10-second penalty imposed ahead of the Briton's first pit stop. He dropped to fifth but raced back to win the race, passing long-time race leader Charles Leclerc with two laps to go.
But the controversy around the first-corner incident with Verstappen was already raging.
With the title rivals making tyre-to-tyre contact as Hamilton attempted to pass Verstappen down the inside into Copse, the contact sent the Red Bull flying through the gravel trap and into a big impact - measured at 51G - with the barriers.
Verstappen was able to get out of the car and walk away and was taken to the circuit's medical centre for checks, which are mandatory after such a heavy impact.
The Dutchman has since been taken to hospital for further precautionary checks.
F1's governing body said in a statement: "The FIA advises that, following an incident during the FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix today, 18/07/21, the driver of car #33, Max Verstappen, has been taken to a local hospital for further precautionary checks."
The race was red-flagged and the incident placed under a stewards' investigation, with Hamilton eventually found at fault.
Both sides blamed each other, with Red Bull and Mercedes officials each making representations to FIA race director Michael Masi over the radio during the race suspension period.
Analysing the incident on the SkyPad, Karun Chandhok said: "Lewis expected Max to back out of it, and Max expected Lewis out of it.
"But they are both racing drivers, and they are both racing for the world championship.
"Max could have given Lewis more room, and Lewis equally could have gone more to the kerb on the right-hand side.
"If you ask me, they both could have done more. I would probably put it down to a racing incident."
