As the Formula 1 season heads towards its final six Grand Prix, a thrilling climax is in the offing. With a mere fifty-two point difference between reigning champion Max Verstappen and challenger Lando Norris, the endgame promises to be a spectacle. Former champion Damon Hill compares the current title race to his own championship battle. Is Verstappen the favorite?
Damon Hill was recently a guest on the F1 Explains podcast, where he was asked if he would prefer to be the hunter (Norris) or the hunted (Verstappen) in this situation. “I think it’s better to have the advantage and defend it,” he replied. “You have nothing to lose if you’re chasing, but at the same time, you’re behind. So it’s always better to already have those points in hand,” he referred to the Dutchman’s lead.
Defending a Lead Requires Specific Skills
The former champion emphasized that defending a lead requires specific skills. “In motorsport, there’s always a certain tension,” Hill explained. “You can’t avoid it. It’s an art to deal with that tension and resist the pressure. But if I had to choose, I’d rather be leading than chasing.”
“Max (Verstappen) has everything to lose compared to Norris,” Hill continued. “In 1996, it was the same for me, as the gap towards the end of the season kept getting smaller – and that can be quite frightening.” Hill took the lead in the championship after the first race in Australia and never gave it up. However, the difference with challenger Jacques Villeneuve at the end of the season was only nineteen points.
The Challenge of Maintaining a Lead
“It’s much harder,” said Hill. “At some point, you think: ‘We’re going to win, we’re going to win.’ And with that, you naturally break the golden rule of all sports – don’t count your chickens before they hatch. You have to keep your thoughts in the present until the flag falls or the season is over.”
