F1: Prost plays down fiery Verstappen-Hamilton saga

(GMM) F1 legend Alain Prost has moved to calm the waters of the fiery controversy between Red Bull and Mercedes following Max Verstappen’s Silverstone crash.

While Red Bull is now wanting to “close the chapter” after Thursday’s stewards protest failed, Toto Wolff says the energy drink camp “crossed a line” with its handling of the saga.

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto, however, says it was perfectly within Red Bull’s right to challenge the ruling.

“There is this process that gives teams the opportunity to ask for a reassessment, and that is a good thing,” he said in Hungary.

“I think this process is good and doesn’t need to be looked at.”

Binotto also says a penalty for Hamilton was justified because the Mercedes driver’s move on Verstappen was “certainly very dangerous”.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 30: Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Alfa Romeo Racing Team Principal Frederic Vasseur talk in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 30, 2021 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by XPB – Pool/Getty Images)

As for Prost, whose blistering rivalry with Ayrton Senna has been widely cited amid the current controversy, he says sagas such as these are always revved up behind the scenes and in public.

“It’s not true that Lewis is a dirty driver,” the quadruple world champion, now an advisor for Alpine, told Speed Week.

“But I’m not standing up for one or the other driver here. Two drivers in such a situation are always full of adrenaline.

“From my point of view, the touch was never intended, because both of them have so much to lose. Nobody should underestimate the pressure Hamilton and Verstappen are under.

“The whole scene took place in public and of course the respective teams take the side of their drivers,” Prost added.