Verstappen calls Hamilton's win celebrations 'disrespectful'

Max Verstappen issued his first public reaction to his painful demise from the British Grand Prix, calling race winner Lewis Hamilton's celebrations "disrespectful and unsportsmanlike".

The two championship contenders came to blows on the opening lap of Sunday's race at Silverstone when they made contact on the run into Copse corner as they were dicing for the lead.

Hamilton moved to the inside of the Dutchman but pitched the Red Bull driver into a spin when his front left wheel touched Verstappen's rear right.

While the Mercedes driver was able to continue, Verstappen suffered a heavy impact with the barriers that required a precautionary visit to the hospital in Northampton.

But in the early evening, the 23-year-old tweeted that he was okay, although he slammed Hamilton for his maneuver and for the Briton's past-race celebrations.

"Glad I’m ok. Very disappointed with being taken out like this," he wrote. "The penalty given does not help us and doesn’t do justice to the dangerous move Lewis made on track.

"Watching the celebrations while still in hospital is disrespectful and unsportsmanlike behavior but we move on."

• Read also: Horner calls Hamilton win 'hallow victory' - blasts 'dangerous' move

With the Red Bull and Mercedes camps on opposing sides regarding the crash, which was viewed as a racing incident by most pundits, the debate will likely rage on.

Hamilton's win has brought his deficit to Verstappen in the drivers' standings to just 8 points, which practically equates to a reset in the title fight.

But it might also signify a reset in the previously amicable relationship between Verstappen and Hamilton, with neither driver expected to compromise when racing wheel-to-wheel.

The battle between the two arch-rivals will continue in Hungary in two weeks, but an outright war may have just begun!

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