With Max Verstappen threatening to run away with the title and Lewis Hamilton seemingly unable to beat his rival on the track, desperate measures are exactly what Red Bull team principal Christian Horner accused the Mercedes driver of using.
Hamilton was targeted following the Mercedes driver's crash with rival Max Verstappen on the opening lap of Sunday’s British Grand Prix that sent the championship leader hurtling out of the race.
The seven-time champion won at his home track to snap a run of five races without a victory. He had dropped from second to fifth after he served his penalty
Hamilton told his Mercedes team the position in the corner was his and he was not to blame. Red Bull disagreed.
Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were just behind Verstappen with Lewis Hamilton only eighth fastest, just ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
It was Verstappen's fifth win of the season compared to three for Hamilton, who dropped down from second place to fourth.
The seven-time F1 champion was also upstaged by 21-year-old countryman Lando Norris, who qualified second for McLaren.
It’s not Lewis Hamilton in the usually ultra-dominant Mercedes this time, but Max Verstappen who seems to be finding extra speed in every race for Red Bull.
It was Verstappen’s 14th career win and fourth of the season, increasing his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ standings to 18 points after eight races.
Verstappen became the first driver this weekend to complete a lap below 1 minute, 4 seconds as he timed 1:03.841 in his Red Bull in Q3.
His chances are good this weekend, though. The Dutch driver is proving that he and Red Bull this season are more than just hunters of Mercedes, the dominating force in F1 for seven years.
Verstappen used the DRS system to catch Hamilton on Lap 52 and pass him on the inside before zooming off to clinch his third win of the season and 13th of his career.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and his Red Bull rival Max Verstappen would like to see team bosses Toto Wolff and Christian Horner don boxing gloves to settle their differences.
AlphaTauri's Gasly was fastest in a time of 1 minute, 42.251 seconds, beating Perez by .344 seconds.
Mercedes didn't challenge for the top positions, with Lewis Hamilton seventh and Valtteri Bottas 10th.
Winning the last race in Monaco put Verstappen four points ahead of Hamilton heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Verstappen's second win this season and 12th of his career moved the Red Bull driver four points ahead of Hamilton overall.
The Formula One championship contender led the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz Jr. and local favorite Charles Leclerc, with defending champion Lewis Hamilton only seventh fastest for Mercedes.
Hamilton is aiming for a record eighth F1 title to move one ahead of Michael Schumacher, and he leads the championship by 14 points ahead of Verstappen, who is seeking his first.
Verstappen pushed his Red Bull to a session-best lap of 1 minute, 17.83 seconds.
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