F1 News

Hill thinks Hamilton is happy with his position: 'He likes to be the hunter'

Hill thinks Hamilton is happy with his position: 'He likes to be the hunter'

23-11-2021 17:35 Last update: 18:35
9

GPblog.com

With only two races left, all possible scenarios in the championship are coming to a head. Statistically, Saudi Arabia is the first race in the championship where someone can officially win the title. Damon Hill and Tom Clarkson discuss the situation.

"I don’t think it’s a time for happiness yet, the tension is still too intense. It’s too palpable, and they are so close to the finish now. Nobody knows what’s going to happen. Hamilton won it, but he wasn’t leaping up and down. He was pretty cool about keeping his emotions in check, as has Max Verstappen. The performance advantage was definitely there for Mercedes," Hill says in the F1 Nation Podcast.

Clarkson asks Hill if he would rather be in Verstappen's shoes with the lead in the championship or in Hamilton's with the Mercedes car. "Lewis likes to be the hunter doesn’t he, so he’s happy where he is, hunting, but he doesn’t have as many opportunities to make up the deficit. We have got a statistical situation now where he could lose the championship to Max, Max could win it in the next round at Saudi-Arabia. This is the first time you could say, if something happens to one of the protagonists, the other guy is going to be world champion. It can only be Max, it couldn’t be Hamilton."

Verstappen made the most of the race

British analysts often praise Hamilton but don't want to forget Verstappen "If we’re praising Lewis Hamilton, we have to be equally gushing about Max Verstappen. His car wasn’t as good in Brazil or Qatar, yet he maximized everything he had," Clarkson continues.

Mercedes do have an advantage at the moment with a fast engine. "They are racing two engines at the minute. The fourth engine, which has less power, so they can save the rocket ship for Jeddah. It’s scarily quick, that circuit," ends Clarkson.