HITMAN HAMMY
Lew can land key blow
LEWIS HAMILTON and Max Verstappen are gladiators – but it will be the Brit who will be the one left standing to celebrate his greatest F1 title triumph.
The Stevenage ace heads into the final two races of a dramatic season looking to bridge an eight-point gap to his Dutch rival.
And, according to former driver Johnny Herbert, he will claim a record-breaking eighth world crown following a tight finale in the Middle East.
Herbert believes Hamilton’s greater knowhow in tight spots and the thrill of the challenge will see him home.
He said: “Lewis had a tussle with Nico Rosberg five years ago – and we all know how that finished – but this one with Max feels very different.
“For me, it will be his biggest triumph.
“Lewis and Max are going at it like two gladiators and this is bringing out the best in both of them. But I would give the advantage to Lewis and Mercedes. They’ve got their power-pack sorted out and the timing of that could pay dividends.
“Lewis always appears to be at his best when there’s a challenge laid out in front of him.
“When it’s needed for him to deliver, to have the bit between his teeth and pull something out of the bag, he’s done so.
“At certain times this season, Max has held the upper hand but he’s not always been able to make his domination count.
“Max must have come away from the track thinking, ‘What do I have to do to shake this guy off?’
“Drivers do feel that. And that draws energy away from the track. That’s why I feel Lewis has the edge going into the final races.”
Herbert said the clash between the two has an enduring quality and could be one of the sport’s great face-offs in years to come.
He said: “It’s been one of the best rivalries, if not the best, since Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
“You could argue that Lewis’ match-up with Nico was as intense but it was over quite quickly, Damon Hill’s with Michael Schumacher in 1994 was another and then there was Prost and Senna at the end of the 1980s. “But this one could go on. “They are both special talents and it’s very rare that two come along at the same time.
“Max oozes natural ability and he has an edge – a bit like Schumacher – and people have grown fed up of Mercedes’ domination and want someone to challenge Lewis.
“The pressure will be building on the drivers’ shoulders.
“It’s unknown territory for Max. The other fella has plenty of experience in the bank.
“And that’s why I think Lewis will bring it home.”
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