Hamilton or Verstappen? Lewis is always looking for support from others'

15:04, 30 Nov 2021
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With the title race heading towards a climax, a wide range of experts are shining their light on all the details that could decide the world title. Is it Lewis Hamilton's car? Is the Mercedes stronger? Or is Max Verstappen the better driver and will he, therefore, take the title? Everyone has his say.

Focus on himself

The mental aspect is also under a magnifying glass. Thus interviewed the F1 Nation Podcast Italian Riccardo Ceccarelli. He specializes in the psychology of drivers. "I think Max is slightly mentally stronger than Lewis," he says. "Max is someone who focuses only on himself. Lewis is just looking for external support. You can tell by how much he talks over the radio during races. He looks for certainties, constantly asks if the strategy is the right one. Max never does that."

Ceccarelli cites more examples. "Lewis is constantly looking for support from others. Think about the fans in Brazil. He also has this physiotherapist, who jumps in with him. Nobody knows who Max's physio is. Max is the type of driver who doesn't need anyone around him. He only has himself. "

Mainly a mental game

According to the psychologist, in the last two races of the season, it will mainly come down to the mental strength of the two drivers. "They are both physically fit, which is only 1 percent now. 99 percent is mental. Now it comes down to dealing with the pressure. That's the most important thing. Not only from the drivers but also from the teams. They can be the key in positive and negative ways. We've already seen that this season."
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