Formula 1 selects its world champions on the basis of two simple physical principles: propulsion and displacement.

Since the German Nico Rosberg drifted into racing driver's retirement immediately after winning the title in December 2016, Lewis Hamilton has shown the scene fairly safely who is boss in the ring.

In 2017, Hamilton won nine out of 20 races, eleven out of 21 each in 2018 and 2019, and eleven out of 17 last season.

The competition?

Suspended.

Just repressed.

To ask Sebastian Vettel, who rarely drove away in the Ferrari Hamilton, mostly chasing after him until he sometimes felt dizzy.

The tours to the world championship titles four, five, six and seven were triumphs of an invulnerable man.

Mercedes chases after

The run-up to track number eight is not.

On the contrary: Hamilton chases after, Mercedes chases after.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull are setting the standards this Formula 1 summer.

The “empire”, as Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said of his own house in Silverstone on Friday, is looking for the fast lane.

As long as Hamilton has not found this, the champion has to keep his nerve on the acceleration lane.

Because the propulsion is not sufficient, it depends on the displacement.

That is why he did not withdraw at Copse Corner when he tried to get past Verstappen on the inside of the starting lap of the British Grand Prix. Verstappen would have grown to at least 39 points in the event of a win. Hamilton was to blame - and lucky. His car was not damaged, the stewards punished his offense with an adequate penalty.

Verstappen's departure was violent, so violent that a check-up at Coventry Hospital was necessary. After a thorough investigation, he was released on Sunday evening. But the consequences of the crash can hardly be the basis for Hamilton's punishment. The Briton had stayed on his line, wanted his head against the wall. Not a gentleman on a Sunday drive, but they have rarely become Formula 1 world champions. The ten-second pause in the pits was appropriate for an alpha pilot with an urge to persevere.

The first big bang in the duel between Hamilton and Verstappen, who was 13 years his junior, is likely to have been the overture for a fight about bend and break until the end of the season. Nobody will back off any more. Hamilton is on the hunt for the eighth title, the ultimate USP. Verstappen also knows that the great opportunity with cars according to the new regulations could be a thing of the past next year.

But Hamilton may be lucky in other ways: The violent, emotional reaction of his opponents - Verstappen accused Hamilton of lack of sportsmanship and lack of respect due to his jubilation after the victory - to his foul shows that Red Bull is not sure of its own advantage . Perhaps the empire with the star on the car in Silverstone struck back more violently than the opponents would have liked. Verstappen can't put up with that. The next crash is imminent. There is only room for one pilot on the road to the title.