Brawn hopes F1 title won't be decided “in the barriers or stewards' room”

Verstappen and Hamilton collided on Lap 26 at Monza as the pair went side-by-side through the opening sequence of corners.

As Verstappen tried to go up the inside of Turn 2, he clipped the sausage kerb, sending him airborne onto the top of Hamilton’s Mercedes.

The Dutchman was handed a three-place grid penalty after the stewards deemed him to be “predominantly” to blame.

Reflecting on the incident, Brawn wrote in his post-race column: “Fans will be split, I’m sure. It’s clear both drivers could have avoided it. Ultimately I think it’s another consequence of two guys going head to head and not wanting to give inch. It’s a shame they ended up in the gravel because it could have shaped up to be a great race – and we were deprived of that.

“I’m interested to see what impact this has on their ongoing battle for the title. We have lived through Silverstone which was a major and controversial incident. Personally, I wouldn’t say it has changed the dynamic. You’ve got two cockerels in the farmyard at the moment and we are seeing the consequence of it.

“I don’t think either will back off at any moment for the rest of the year but I hope the championship is won on the track not in the barriers or the stewards’ room.”

Just five points separate the duo when F1 heads to Sochi next time out.