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Herbert: 'Hamilton hungry to put pressure on Red Bull and Verstappen'

Herbert: 'Hamilton hungry to put pressure on Red Bull and Verstappen'

01-07-2021 16:11

GPblog.com

Johnny Herbert is hoping that Mercedes are able to find a few tenths so that they can start challenging the RB16B of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the Austrian Grand Prix. The Sky Sports analyst expects to see a tormented Lewis Hamilton on the grid this weekend.

The big question is whether Mercedes can fight back."You bet they can," Herbert replied to his own employer. "I say that because there are a lot of good boys and girls at the Brackley factory working so incredibly hard to make the car even faster. Lewis will be very hungry to bounce back and start putting the pressure on Red Bull Racing and more importantly Max Verstappen."

Lots of Verstappen fans

There are 60,000 fans in attendance this weekend, including thousands from the Netherlands in support of Verstappen. "It's wonderful to have that atmosphere back again. It's going to be great for Max, but I think all the drivers can use the energy of the crowd and take it into the cockpit."

Rain is predicted again, just like last week. That would make the weekend even more interesting. "It will test the guys to the absolute maximum. Max and Lewis both going for the title, this is really where it will test them. This is a tricky circuit, not only the corners but there is also little grip. You need to be absolutely inch-perfect," Herbert concludes.

Pinkham and Herbert look ahead