War of words erupts after sickening F1 crash

Championship person Max Verstappen was progressive successful a sickening clang with arch-rival Lewis Hamilton during this morning's Italian Grand Prix, which was won by Australia's Daniel Ricciardo.

As some Hamilton and Verstappen fought for presumption midway done the race, their cars came unneurotic successful a determination that could person earnestly injured Hamilton. Mercedes squad main Toto Wolff went arsenic acold arsenic describing it arsenic "a tactical foul" by Verstappen.

"The stewards volition determine who is to blame," Wolff said. "In shot you would telephone it a tactical foul. He knew that if Lewis stays ahead, past that is the contention win.

The stewards did decide, judging that Verstappen "was predominantly to blasted for the collision." They gave the Red Bull operator a three-place grid driblet for the commencement of the adjacent race, the Russian GP connected September 26.

"I'm arrogant of the stewards," Hamilton said aft learning of their decision. "I request immoderate clip to truly bespeak connected it but I deliberation it decidedly sets a precedent and I deliberation it's important for america moving forwards, for the information of the drivers that determination are strict rules acceptable successful place."

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W12 clang during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy astatine Autodromo di Monza connected September 12, 2021 successful Monza, Italy. (Photo by Peter Van Egmond/Getty Images) (Getty)

During the constituent of contact, arsenic Verstappen's car catapulted onto the apical of the Mercedes earlier some slid into the gravel, the Red Bull operator was heard connected squad vigor saying, "that's what you get erstwhile you don't permission the space."

Hamilton, who had been outspoken against the protective halo astatine the beforehand of F1 car cockpits earlier its instauration successful 2018, thinks it mightiness person saved his beingness connected Sunday.

"I don't deliberation I've ever been deed connected the caput by a car before. It's rather a daze for me," added Hamilton, who inactive sounded distressed respective hours aft the incident. "And I've been racing a long, agelong time. So I'm so, truthful grateful that I'm inactive here. I consciousness incredibly blessed. I consciousness similar idiosyncratic was watching implicit maine today."

Wolff went arsenic acold arsenic to suggest Hamilton could person been killed withou

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP looks connected aft crashing during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy astatine Autodromo di Monza connected September 12, 2021 successful Monza, Italy. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (Getty)

Meanwhile, Red Bull brag Christian Horner said it was unfair of his Mercedes counterpart to suggest Verstappen committed a tactical foul.

"I'm disappointed that Toto would accidental it would beryllium a nonrecreational foul," Horner said. "I deliberation it's a racing incident, and thankfully cipher was injured today.

"I deliberation [Verstappen] earned capable to beryllium fixed a spot much abstraction to enactment with connected the near there.

"I deliberation you tin astir apt reason it from some sides, truthful if you instrumentality a mediate crushed connected it, you accidental it was a racing incident.

"But I genuinely deliberation that you could reason Max should person bailed a spot much to the left, you tin reason that Lewis should person fixed him much space."

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