Lewis Hamilton hails Charles Leclerc after their wheel-to-wheel tussle at Silverstone and says it was more "sensible" than his fight with Max Verstappen last year; F1 2022 continues with Austrian GP - all live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend
Tuesday 5 July 2022 12:35, UK
Lewis Hamilton aimed a dig at Max Verstappen after the British GP, claiming his Sunday battle with Charles Leclerc was a lot more "sensible" than it was against the Dutchman last year.
Hamilton and Verstappen had an infamously intense title battle in 2021 and one of their big collisions came at Silverstone, with the Red Bull driver sent hurtling into the barriers after contact at the high-speed Copse corner.
In Sunday's race, Hamilton and Leclerc fought wheel-to-wheel, and at one stage Leclerc regained position around the outside of Copse - showing it was possible for two cars to race fairly through that section of track.
Hamilton was quick to reference that after the race, telling Sky Sports F1: "Charles did a great job. What a great battle.
"Very sensible driver and clearly a lot different to what we experienced last year. In Copse for example, two of us went through there no problem.
"What a battle."
Last year, the FIA adjudged Hamilton to be at fault for the crash and handed the Mercedes driver a 10-second penalty, though he still managed to win and close the points gap to eventual world champion Verstappen.
Earlier in the 2022 British GP weekend, Hamilton had called on his home fans not to boo Verstappen, insisting "we're better than that" after his frosty reception after qualifying.
Verstappen is currently leading this year's title race, though saw his title lead cut to 33 points. Hamilton, meanwhile, finished third, but thought he was on for a first win of the season with his surprise pace at his home Grand Prix.
Hamilton has vowed he is "going to rise again" in F1, telling Sky Sports why he is motivated to bounce back from last year's "painful" Abu Dhabi GP title defeat and his difficult 2022 season.
Hamilton was denied a record eighth world championship last December in hugely controversial circumstances against Verstappen after an incorrect application of the rules from then race director Michael Masi, and has struggled so far this season in an underperforming Mercedes car.
Hamilton, speaking to BADU young people in a Sky Sports F1 exclusive, reflected on Abu Dhabi and how he handled himself afterwards as he gave a composed interview and sportingly shook Verstappen's hand.
"My dad put a value inside me about never giving up, and the easiest thing to do is to give up," said Hamilton. "But it's not how you fall, it's about how you get up.
"In that moment for me, no matter how painful it was - and it was so, so painful - just knowing there would be a kid watching... me shaking his hand just shows there is strength within regardless and I'm going to rise again."
F1 2022 heads to Austria this weekend, and the Sprint is back! Join Sky Sports F1 for extensive coverage, with the Sprint starting at 3.30pm on Saturday and the race at 2pm on Sunday.
