F1 News
Horner responds: "It didn't question Hamilton's integrity"
The Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton drama sparked plenty of reaction in and out of the Formula 1 paddock. Two weeks later, the crash remains the talk of the town and Red Bull Racing's appeal wasn't accepted.
Following the appeal, Mercedes released a statement that claimed Red Bull had questioned the integrity of Lewis Hamilton. Team boss at Red Bull Racing has responded to these claims.
"The statement didn't question his integrity. Toto was upset with the comments I made to Ted. Emotions run high, that's why it's sport and we're all entitled to an opinion. Primary concern was the safety of our driver. We lost a car and the penalty didn't seem strong enough at that time. Had it been any other driver, our reaction would've been the same. It was nothing personal with Lewis or the team. It's purely that incident on that day," Horner said in a conversation with Sky Sports.
Respect to Hamilton
"Lewis is a phenomenal driver, we know that. He's a seven-time world champion for a reason. We respect that. That doesn't mean a seven-time world champion can't make a mistake or a misjudgement. In no way is that personal. It would have been the same for any other driver on the grid," Horner added.
The two drivers are bound to continue their duel through the rest of the 2021 Formula 1 season. That includes this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, for which the first two practice sessions have been completed. Verstappen experienced some issues during the session but produced the third-fastest time.
"We've still got a bit to find. The drivers aren't happy with the balance of the car at the moment. Max was struggling with the understeer on his fast run, but we're seeing track temperatures of 60c which is having an effect on the way the tyres are working," he added.