The British Grand Prix got off to a chaotic start as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton engaged in a feisty battle off the line. However, their battle ended at Copse corner as Verstappen crashed out of the race.

Although the high-speed crash caused a big impact, Verstappen got out of the car relatively unscathed.

Max Verstappen crashes out of the British Grand Prix after collision with Hamilton

Lewis got off to a fine start to challenge Verstappen straightaway. However, the latter defended his position well to stay ahead of his British title rival. Heading into Copse corner (Turn 9), Hamilton moved alongside the Dutchman to take the inside line.

Despite their best efforts to avoid it, the minimal contact between their tires sent Verstappen straight off the track. This forced him to log his second DNF of the season and the first since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last month.

With the crash bringing out red flags, all drivers headed to the pit lane. Before the red flag, Charles Leclerc overtook Hamilton to ensure he lead the pack heading into the pit lane. Valtteri Bottas remained P3, where he started the race from.

Can Hamilton close the gap to Verstappen in the driver’s championship?

With the race resuming through a standing start, Hamilton currently stands in P2. In addition to that, the Briton will serve a 10-second penalty for the collision which took Verstappen earlier in the race.

However, with his Dutch rival out of the race, a podium finish augurs well for Hamilton. In addition, with Bottas near the podium places and Sergio Perez the only Red Bull left, Mercedes have an excellent chance to narrow the gap and possibly lead the constructor’s championship after this weekend.

While several laps remain, the British Grand Prix looks set to produce more thrills for the fans.