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“He wasn’t leaping up”: Former F1 World Champion analyzes body movements of Lewis Hamilton to indicate that he’s still wary of Max Verstappen’s comeback

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"He wasn't leaping up": Former F1 World Champion analyzes body movements of Lewis Hamilton to indicate that he's still wary of Max Verstappen comeback

Damon Hill feels that both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are under a lot of pressure going into the season’s last two races. 

Hamilton and Verstappen are in the midst of a colossal fight for the F1 title in 2o21. They have both led the Championship at different stages of the season, and even now, it is tough to predict the eventual winner.

The momentum seemed to be with the Red Bull driver after winning two successive races in the US and Mexico. However, Hamilton has swung it back to the Mercedes garage after wins in Brazil and Qatar. The latter winning the last two races has cut down Verstappen’s 19 points lead to just 8.

With just two races to go this year, the 1996 F1 Champion Damon Hill feels that both drivers are under ‘immense pressure’. “I don’t think it’s a time for happiness just yet,” Hill said. “I think the tension is still too intense. It’s too palpable.

“They’re so close to the finish now, and nobody knows what’s going to happen. Lewis won but he wasn’t leaping up and down in celebration. I think he’s been pretty cool about keeping his emotions in check, as has Max.”

Also read: Lewis Hamilton is still afraid of contracting COVID-19 again

Lewis Hamilton seems to have the upper hand, says Hill

The British former F1 driver seems to think that his compatriot has the upper hand in the title fight.

Hamilton is going after his 8th World Championship, which would statistically make him the greatest F1 Champion of all time.  The 36-year-old overcame multiple grid penalties in Sao Paolo to win the race and dominated the inaugural Qatar GP.

Verstappen finished 2nd in both races, and Hill feels that the Dutchman’s positivity following those races is very admirable.

“Max didn’t come out of that race thinking, ‘Oh, it’s a disaster, the championship is slipping away’. He thought he’d done a good job with what he could do.” he said.

“But the performance advantage was definitely there for Mercedes. I think Hamilton’s been getting better and better.” the former Williams driver added.

F1 makes its debut in Saudi Arabia next week when the lights go out at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The 2021 season finale will follow the Saudi Arabian GP at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Also read: Yas Marina’s new layout took inspirations from fans when Abu Dhabi GP bosses realized it was no fun in 2020

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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