Hamilton angry at part of the Red Bull Ring crowd
Injured during the qualifying session of the Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton didn't appreciate Max Verstappen's supporters applauding his crash.
After the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, the Grand Prix of Austria can be considered as a third home race for Max Verstappen. For several seasons now, the stands at the Red Bull Ring have become accustomed to welcoming thousands of Dutch fans who transform the Styrian circuit into a true arena in honor of their champion.
A hostile atmosphere for the rivals of Red Bull’s driver, which Hamilton fell victim to during qualifying on Friday. Towards the end of Q3, the Mercedes driver made a mistake, crashing into the wall. This error was met with applause from the Dutch fans. This attitude did not fail to provoke a reaction from the seven-time world champion, who cannot understand how someone can rejoice in such a situation.
I didn’t hear the applause because I was busy thinking about a bunch of things. I heard them later and I strongly condemn them. A driver could have ended up in the hospital, and people applaud that? He declared indignant.
It’s just incredible that people do this when we know how dangerous our sport is. I’m grateful that I haven’t been to the hospital or seriously injured. It’s not right to applaud a fall, an injury or an accident.
Asked about the boos Verstappen received at Silverstone last week, Hamilton agrees: « It shouldn’t have happened at Silverstone, and it shouldn’t have happened here either. »
