‘Old’ Lewis Hamilton is Back After Crashing Out Max Verstappen: Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone, who previously criticized Lewis Hamilton for not being the fighter he once was, has now praised the seven-time world champion and believes ‘old’ Hamilton is back after he won his eighth British GP title.

Despite suffering a 10s penalty after a massive first lap crash with arch-rival Max Verstappen, the Briton secured his fourth win of the season in controversial circumstances.

After a wheel-to-wheel battle between Hamilton and Verstappen, the two title contenders collided at Copse on the opening lap. The crash resulted in a red flag and sent the Dutch to the hospital.

While most people blamed Hamilton for the crash and stated he didn’t deserve this win, Ecclestone believes Lewis has regained his ‘edge’ with this crash and will go on to win his eighth world championship title this season

WATCH STORY: From Shocking Lewis Hamilton Crash to Ferrari Pit Stop Blunder: Most Sensational Moments in Bahrain GP History

What did Bernie Ecclestone say?

As quoted by Daily Mail, the former supremo, Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton has rediscovered his spirit after the British GP win.

“Lewis has got his act together and I now think he will win the title. He had lost an edge before Sunday but he did what he needed to do,” said Bernie Ecclestone.

“He has just signed a new two-year deal with Mercedes. The reason he did it was that he thought he would need an extra season or so to beat Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles.

“But I can guarantee that this incident has got his confidence back, in a way it hasn’t been there all year. He has a better chance than before. It has given him a lift, and it’s back to the old Lewis,” added the former F1 boss.

Lewis Hamilton should have been banned from the race: Jos Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton’s left-front wheel tangled with Max Verstappen’s rear-right on the opening lap at Silverstone. The crash sent the Dutch into the barriers and out of the race, in an impact that measured 51G.

The stewards awarded the seven-time world champion with a 10s penalty and two penalty points on his license. However, Max’s father, Jos Verstappen, was not satisfied with the action against Lewis and believes he should have been disqualified from the race.

“It is really unacceptable what Hamilton did. Max gave him space and was front of him. You cannot overtake on the inside of Copse.” said Jos Verstappen.

“A 10-second penalty is really ridiculous. As far as I am concerned they should have banned him from the race,” added the 49-year-old.

Read More: Why Was Lewis Hamilton Not Given a Race Ban for Causing Max Verstappen’s Crash?

Should Lewis Hamilton get a one-race suspension following his crash with Verstappen at British GP? What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.