Formula One: Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton shift feud up a gear

A storm is brewing in Formula One as Max Verstappen has accused Lewis Hamilton of being “dangerous and disrespectful” after the two came together at Silverstone. Mercedes driver Hamilton revived his Formula One title defence by winning the British Grand Prix on Sunday 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 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. “Glad I’m OK,” tweeted Verstappen from hospital. “Very disappointed with being taken out like this.”

Cristian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, added: “I hope Lewis is very happy with himself. That’s a hollow victory. That’s just dirty driving.”

Hamilton, however, blamed Verstappen. “I don’t feel he needs to be aggressive as he is,” he said. “I would never back down from anyone. I will not be bullied into being less aggressive. We needed the points. He left a gap and I went for it.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had his driver’s back and replied to Horner: “I have emailed you the diagrams. It takes two to tango”.

Will plenty more races to come before the season climax in Abu Dhabi, this feud is going to run and run.