The World Cup fight for the Formula 1 crown is coming to a head. Record champion Lewis Hamilton gives the McLaren duo a tip in the fight against defending champion Max Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton is experiencing an extremely poor Formula 1 season with Scuderia Ferrari. At the moment he can only dream of the title and watch from a distance.
The Briton was the last F1 champion not named Max Verstappen. In 2021, the Red Bull driver snatched the title from him in the last race, in the last lap, and has now defended it three times in a row. Despite the false start and the interim McLaren dominance, will the fifth be added?
The gap to World Championship leader Oscar Piastri has melted from 104 to just 40 points in the last few races. There are still five main races on the program.
Hamilton was asked about possible tips for the McLaren drivers before the upcoming race in Mexico (Quali LIVE on RTL+). “I mean, of course they have won other championships in other categories. I’m not the one who really wants to give them advice, but in this scenario it’s a challenge when you’re in the team. The pressure is high,” said the Ferrari man.
During crunch time it is important to fully focus. “It’s definitely a time where you really have to put your blinders on, you have to block out absolutely everything from the outside because there’s so much coming in, positive and negative.”
Hamilton warns: “That’s Max”
And in a duel with Verstappen you need nerves of steel. “You also have to be really ruthless. That’s how Max is, he’ll take it away from them if they don’t do the same,” said Hamilton.
The McLaren men “have to put pressure on and you have to give everything to first of all keep someone like Max and the car he’s currently driving behind you. For either of them to come out on top, consistency is crucial and you’ve seen that with Max in the last few races.”
The record world champion finds it “great” that the World Cup fight has expanded to include a second team.
“It’s great that McLaren is at the front, which of course won the constructors’ championship, and that the battle for the championship is then between the two drivers. That’s still exciting.”