Max Verstappen hopes to win the Brazilian Grand Prix for the third time in a row. If he succeeds, his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the world championship will increase to at least 25 points. Jolyon Palmer doesn't expect the race to be decided by then though.
The former driver realises that the Dutchman will have a big advantage if he achieves first place in Brazil. "If Verstappen does beat Hamilton in Brazil though the championship lead will go above 21 points with three races to go. Therefore it will be out of Hamilton’s hands for the first time, but it shouldn’t be out of Mercedes’," Palmer stated on the official website of Formula 1.
Exciting final battle in World Championship
Palmer points to the last three races. In theory, the German racing team should be able to win first place in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, making it exciting at the final race in Abu Dhabi.
"The three races in the Middle East to finish the season should suit them more than these three in the Americas. Although two of them are new, and even Abu Dhabi is modified, making them unknowns, it looks as though they are all fast with some extremely long straights which will favour Mercedes. And they are at sea level rather than the altitude of Mexico. So there’s every chance the title battle will converge again to a decider in Abu Dhabi still."
