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Hill predicts an 'anxious time' ahead for Max Verstappen
Damon Hill believes that Max Verstappen will start to feel "anxious" as his World Championship lead shrinks. Though the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion would prefer to be in the Dutchman's shoes rather than the chasing position Lando Norris finds himself in.
With six Grands Prix and three sprint races remaining, Norris must bridge a 52-point gap to call himself World Champion. Since the summer break, he has made ground on Verstappen at every race, but it could've been much closer if the McLaren driver had maximised every weekend. For example, in Monza, his teammate overtook him on the opening lap, opening the door for Charles Leclerc to move through and win. In Baku, he failed to escape Q1 when his teammate had the pace for victory.
Is Norris or Verstappen in a better position?
In 1996, Hill found himself in Verstappen's position. The Brit had a 21-point lead (in an era with few points on offer) over Jacques Villeneuve after the German Grand Prix, which was round 11 of 16. The Canadian driver cut that gap to nine points going into the final weekend. He, therefore, knows how Verstappen will be feeling.
"Max has got it all to lose. It was a similar thing in ‘96 for me because the gap closed up towards the end of the season, and that can be an anxious time. In motorsport, there’s tension. You can't avoid it. So it's the ability to cope with tension, to cope with pressure, but I think I'd rather have the lead than be trying to get it," Hill said on the F1 explains podcast.
"I think that it's better to have the advantage and protect it. You've got nothing to lose if you're chasing, but at the same time you're behind. So it's always a better position to be in, to have those points," he added.
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1 October 2024
