Verstappen taken to hospital following 51G crash in British GP

Verstappen collided with main title rival Lewis Hamilton at Copse corner on the opening lap of Sunday’s race at Silverstone as the pair battled hard for the lead.

Hamilton dived down the inside of Verstappen at the high-speed corner but his front-left wheel tagged Verstappen as the Red Bull driver attempted to stick it out around the outside.

The Dutchman was sent hurtling into the barriers in what was a huge accident, causing the race to be suspended.

Verstappen appeared shaken and winded as he climbed out of his wrecked Red Bull but he was able to walk away from his car, before he was taken to the medical centre at Silverstone.

Following an initial assessment performed at the track, Red Bull confirmed that Verstappen had been sent to a local hospital for “further precautionary checks”.

“Following a first lap incident at Copse Corner between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix, we can confirm that Max Verstappen walked away from his car and was immediately taken to the Silverstone Circuit Medical Centre,” a Red Bull team statement read.

“Following an assessment by the trackside doctors at Silverstone Circuit Medical Centre, Max Verstappen has been taken to a local hospital for further precautionary tests.”

Hamilton was hit with a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision with Verstappen in what marked the most dramatic moment of the 2021 season so far.