HAMILTON TO BLAME FOR MAX CRASH
Bernie (and Max’s dad) point finger over 180mph shunt
BERNIE Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton was to blame for the 180mph crash that sent Max Verstappen to hospital during the British Grand Prix.
The world championship contenders clashed on the opening lap at the super-fast Copse corner at Silverstone, winding the Dutchman, who then spent six hours at hospital in Coventry.
Hamilton went on to win the race in controversial circumstances on Sunday, cutting his disadvantage in the world championship table to eight points.
Speaking to Sportsmail, Ecclestone, 90, said: ‘Who was to blame? You have to say Lewis.
‘In the old days, we would have said it was one of those things, a racing incident. It was clear that everyone was doing their best to win the championship.
‘But if the stewards needed to get involved then they should have given Lewis more than a 10-second penalty. It should have been 30 seconds.
‘Lewis was not in front at the point they collided. It wasn’t his corner. He was almost a car’s length behind. That’s why he hit him at the back, not the front.
‘Ten seconds was not right. The punishment did not fit the crime. If you have to give a sanction, which in some ways they didn’t need to, it wasn’t enough.’
Verstappen’s father Jos, a veteran of 107 F1 races, said Hamilton should have been disqualified. ‘It is really unacceptable what Hamilton did,’ said the 49-year-old. ‘Max gave him space and was in front of him.
‘You cannot overtake on the inside of Copse. A 10-second penalty is ridiculous. As far as I am concerned, they should have banned him from the race.’
Verstappen’s Red Bull team are considering an appeal against the stewards’ verdict, which they believe to be too lenient.
But Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended his star driver’s reputation. ‘It takes two to tango,’ said Wolff.
‘There is a rule in Formula One that if the front of your car is more than halfway alongside the other car then it is your corner, and Lewis was much further ahead than that, so the other driver should have left him some space.’