Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has spoken out for the first time since last weekend's dramatic end to the British Grand Prix which involved a collision between seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Wolff told motorsport.com that he "Can understand that from a competitors' point of view, the situation was upsetting,” however expressed unease at Redbull's personal attacks on Hamilton and the Mercedes team after the crash.
“Nevertheless, the language that was used, and making it so personal, was a level that we have not seen in this sport before,” Wolff said.
Hamilton received a 10 second penalty for his lap one collision and went on to win the race overtaking Ferrari driver Charles Le Clerc on lap 50. However Hamilton was later criticised for celebrating his win while Verstappen was undergoing hospital checks.
In an F1 post race press conference, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner described Hamilton's win a "hollow victory" and said he made an "amateur's" mistake.
"It's just disappointing from a seven-time world champion that he makes such a desperate move and puts a fellow driver in hospital," Horner said.
Verstappen also lashed out at the Mercedes driver on Twitter and said "the penalty given does not help us and doesn't do justice to the dangerous move Lewis made on track."
"Watching the celebrations while still in hospital is disrespectful and unsportsmanlike behaviour but we move on," Verstappen said.
Hamilton also received a backlash of racism after the Grand Prix however Toto Wolff said the seven time world champion was "overall" handling post-race reaction well.
Wolff said he hopes to "restore [the] professional relationship [with Redbull] for the sake of Formula 1.”
“The championship is still a long way to go, and there are many, many points to score."
“We just need to look at ourselves and try to regain some performance in order to fight on pure pace for race victories. The controversy is more an external thing and not something we perceive as impacting the organisation internally.”