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Herbert sees strength in Verstappen: 'Powerful weapon against Hamilton'

Herbert sees strength in Verstappen: 'Powerful weapon against Hamilton'

10-09-2021 08:31 Last update: 12:44
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GPblog.com

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are fighting for the world title this year, which brings both their strengths and weaknesses to the surface. Johnny Herbert believes Verstappen lacks experience at times but is mentally very strong.

 
 

 

 

Verstappen lost a lot of points during the British Grand Prix due to a collision with Hamilton. The Briton was able to win the race despite a penalty, while Verstappen had to go to hospital for checks. According to Herbert, who also spoke about this with Damon Hill, Lewis knows better when he has to withdraw from a duel. According to Herbert, Verstappen would also have been better off withdrawing at Silverstone.

Learning from Hamilton

''I think Lewis knows very well through his experience when it's important to do damage control. I don't want to say it's a matter of being smarter or wiser, I think it's purely a matter of experience'', says the former F1 driver at Motorsport.com.

''But Max is only getting stronger because he is getting that experience now too. The experience he is gaining now will make him an even better driver. We haven't seen the best of Max yet. He is only getting better and better.''

The strength of Max

So while Herbert clearly sees an area for improvement for the Dutchman, he also sees his strength. Special achievements or major setbacks have little impact on the Dutchman, who can quickly put them to one side.

''That (mental strength) is very impressive for someone of his age. He reacts very quickly and positively to things that happen. That can be a powerful weapon against Lewis, who is performing at the top of his game, but is not unbeatable and can be put under pressure. Lewis, in turn, enjoys that challenge. That's the beauty of having Max upfront now,'' concludes Herbert.