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Hamilton avoided Verstappen: "Was basically avoiding us coming together"
- GPblog.com
Max Verstappen had a flying start when the lights went out just after 15:00 on the circuit of Imola. Starting from the second row of the grid he managed to get through the first corner in first place. Lewis Hamilton had to settle for second position but also saw his front wing damaged. According to Hamilton it was the result of a collision with the RB16B, but Verstappen doesn't believe that.
Hamilton and Verstappen disagree
"I don't think we touched," Verstappen said at the post-race press conference. Hamilton then responded, "We did, we did."
The Dutch Red Bull Racing driver then asked in disbelief, "We touched? I need to see the video then." Hamilton: "My endplate got damaged, I don't know exactly... "Verstappen insists: "I don’t think we touched! I have to watch the video again.”
How could it happen that Hamilton could not cash in on his pole position? “I didn’t get a good start. Max got a better start than me and I think I was slightly ahead going into Turn 2 but I was basically avoiding us coming together. Max was just coming… across, so we had that touch and I had to use the exit, take those big kerbs, but I’m grateful I just got through it and didn’t damage much more than the endplate.”