Former F1 world champion Damon Hill thinks Lewis Hamilton is at an advantage after he wins two races in a row against Max Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton has made an incredible comeback in the title fight against Max Verstappen after winning comprehensively in Brazil and Qatar.
With only two races to go, Mercedes still has a straight-line speed against Red Bull, which will come in handy at Jeddah and Abu Dhabi. Seeing this, the Former F1 champion Damon Hill thinks it’s all the way advantage to Hamilton in this contest.
“I think [Hamilton’s] been getting better and better,” said Hill. “He does this. It seems to me [that] he goes on a kind of semi-engaged period in the middle of the season.”
“And then when he needs to finish off the championship, he sort of becomes a completely, totally focused individual. [He’s] gaining, closing the gap – [there’s] definitely a spring in his step.”
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Lewis Hamilton still shouldn’t celebrate
Despite odds inclining with Mercedes, Hill observed that Hamilton isn’t in any celebrations mode. And the former thinks that his compatriot shouldn’t even be yet.
“I don’t think it’s a time for happiness just yet,” added Hill. “I think the tension is still too intense, it’s too palpable. They’re so close to the finish now and nobody really 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. 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. But the performance advantage was definitely there for Mercedes,” he further added.
The two drivers will be vying for the championship in Jeddah next, with Verstappen lingering on an eight-point lead against the reigning world champion.
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