“We’re now too close to the business end”– Mercedes will have to be highly cautious, suggests Formula 1 experts as the season approaches an end.
Mercedes are in an intense battle against Red Bull in this year’s championship, with seven more races yet to go. Formula 1 experts Damon hill and Tom Clarkson suggest that the Silver arrows remain cautious about maintaining their championship chances.
These statements are coming after Mercedes looked nervy in the buildup of the race in Russia, there were some instances of hiccups like Lewis Hamilton crashing to the pit wall, but in the end, the Briton got them the victory.
“At one point Max was only five seconds behind him and you’re starting to think ‘Oh Lewis is in the warzone, he’s blocked in, he can’t go anywhere,’ but he has learned incredible patience as a driver,” said Hill to F1 Nation Podcast.
. “He knows he just has to bide out the first stint and then he puts his hammer time to the metal and off he goes. Once Lewis got clear air, that five seconds got turned into twenty seconds. He was back on track,” Hill continues.
“Neither of these guys can afford a DNF in the next seven races. We’re now too close to the business end, you may never get that back. This is Bottas’ new Monza power unit that was playing up in Russia.”
“I appreciate that everyone is now pushing very very hard for next year, so you’re pushing every area of it before you nail down exactly what you’re going to do. But they have to be really really careful that they don’t compromise Lewis’ championship with that,” Clarkson says.
Two points away
Hamilton’s most significant loss from Russia was Verstappen finishing second, hadn’t the Dutchman finished a little further, like the difference they had before the rain started, Hamilton might have had more cushion against him.
But the two-point lead is too little, so Red Bull has entangled Hamilton in a tight grasp, so this battle seems like it will go till the end.
