Sky Sports has taken down a controversial Formula 1 advertisement at the request of a seething Red Bull camp.
The Formula 1 juggernaut got in contact with Sky Sports after the London-based media company released an advertisement pairing Max Verstappen‘s terrifying British Grand Prix crash with a Merry Christmas message.
The advertisement, featuring a slow-motion replay of Verstappen’s Silverstone crash in July, was played during Sky Sports’ coverage of Friday’s practice sessions for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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“A 51g crash where the driver was air-lifted to hospital being used as a Merry Christmas message is very poor taste indeed,” a Red Bull source told racingnews365.com.
The polarising advertisement was clearly a case of Sky Sports siding with Briton’s Lewis Hamilton in his drama-filled title battle with Verstappen.
Hamilton and Verstappen will begin Monday’s (AEDT) Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the world championship, locked on 369.5 points.
The title fight turned ugly when Hamilton’s Mercedes, looming up on the inside of Verstappen at Copse Corner on lap one in Silverstone, tagged the Red Bull, sending the Dutchman and his car tearing across gravel and into a wall at 51g.
Verstappen was airlifted to hospital but emerged from the incident unscathed.
Hamilton received a 10-second penalty but fought back to take victory on his home track.
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