F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Video: Fan footage reveals violence of Verstappen crash

Fan footage has emerged on the internet showing just how hard Max Verstappen hit the barrier on the outside of Copse corner following his collision with Lewis Hamilton in the British Grand Prix.

The controversial run-in started when the two title contenders barreled down at full speed towards Copse on the opening lap and Hamilton moved up the inside of his rival, only for Verstappen to take his line and turn in on the Mercedes driver.

The contact sent the Red Bull into a spin into the gravel trap which barely reduced its velocity as it hit the tyre wall broadside.

The footage shows the Red Bull clobbering the wall just a few meters up from where the final stretch of Tepco barrier ends, which was unfortunate as the dedicated protection would have offered a much higher level of energy absorption in the massive 51G impact.

Nevertheless, Verstappen was able to walk away from the crash, bruised and battered and obviously angry.

One also notes in the video the relatively close proximity of the spectators to the barriers, with just a medium-height fence separating the crowds from the tyre wall.

High-speed crashes at Copse that see a car take off at a tangent are fortunately rare, but it sends shivers down the spine to think of the consequences of a car getting airborne and perhaps rolling over and beyond the barrier and into a spectator enclosure.

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Michael Delaney

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