Lewis Hamilton has hit a section of Max Verstappen fans who applauded the Briton’s accident, describing the behavior as “mind-boggling”.
During his first lap of the third qualifying session, Hamilton flew through the gravel and, despite his best efforts to control the car, crashed into the side barrier.
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Fortunately, the Mercedes star was not injured and escaped unharmed.
But Verstappen fans at the Austrian GP, the home race of Red Bull, Verstappen’s team, were happy for their hero to have a less serious rival to deal with.
However, Hamilton was furious at how the fans reacted.
“I don’t agree with any of that, come what may,” Hamilton said.
“Could a driver have been to the hospital and will you cheer him on?
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“It’s amazing that people do this, knowing how dangerous our sport is. I was grateful not to have ended up in the hospital and not to have been seriously injured.
“You should never encourage someone’s fall or someone’s injury. It shouldn’t have happened at Silverstone, even though it wasn’t an accident and it shouldn’t have happened here.”
Hamilton referred to some of his fans at the British GP last weekend who booed at Verstappen when he slowly fell down the race order after driving through debris that hit his vehicle.
It is the last chapter of the rivalry between the two pilots and their respective passionate fans.
The two clashed at Silverstone last year and also shared the epic battle that decided the 2021 World Cup in Abu Dhabi when Verstappen won her bachelor title just to death.
The Dutchman will start the Austrian GP from pole position after winning the sprint, while Hamilton returns to eighth place although he has to thank his team for preparing his car in time for in the race.