F1: Hamilton intentionally crashing Verstappen out at Silverstone contributed to cost breach

When Lewis Hamilton intentionally crashed Max Verstappen out of the race at Silverstone last year, and totaled his car, the cost to replace the car (over $1 million) contributed to Red Bull’s minor 2021 budget breach.

Hamilton and Verstappen collided at Copse

Silverstone crash 2021 – What was Hamilton doing up in the middle of the track when Verstappen gave him more than a full lane down the inside?

Silverstone 2021 – Hamilton intentionally ran wide in the corner to force Verstappen off the track on exit. Instead, he crashed him out

Verstappen’s destroyed Red Bull cost over $1 million to replace.

A pointed remark by Hamilton about his duel for position with Charles Leclerc in this year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone prompted a response from Verstappen.

Hamilton and Verstappen collided at Copse in the race 12 months ago. The Mercedes driver was judged “predominantly to blame” for the collision by the stewards, who noted he had “room available to the inside” when contact was made between him and Verstappen on his outside.

During this year’s race Hamilton successfully went through Copse side-by-side with Leclerc. “He’s a very sensible driver, clearly a lot different to what I experienced last year,” Hamilton said of the Ferrari driver in an interview with Sky.

Asked for his response to this by Dutch journalist Erik van Haren, Verstappen replied: “I think it’s great that, when you’re 37 years old, at some point you understand how to get to the apex. So he is learning.”

“He does learn, so that’s positive for the younger drivers: when you’re 37 you can still learn new things!

“You can clearly see it in the images, of course. Charles gave him less space than I did last year, so that says enough. Moreover, Hamilton received a penalty last year, he was deemed guilty.”