Lewis Hamilton hoping to exploit Max Verstappen inexperience

Verstappen talking with Hamilton — Photo: © LAT Images

Russian Grand Prix

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Hamilton hoping to exploit Verstappen inexperience

Verstappen is in the first title fight of his F1 career

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Friday 24 September 2021 09:29

Lewis Hamilton is hoping he can exploit Max Verstappen's inexperience in this year's F1 title fight after claiming his rival "won't admit" to feeling the pressure.

Verstappen holds a five-point lead in the F1 drivers' championship with eight races to go heading into this weekend's Russian Grand Prix but the Red Bull driver has never been in such a tense position.

Hamilton, meanwhile, is searching for his eighth world title and is now into double-figures with regard to the number of battles he has been involved with over the years.

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Asked if he would be able to exploit the difference in their experience, Hamilton replied: "Time will tell. I hope so.

"It has been an incredibly difficult year. It has not been as smooth sailing in terms of our performance with the car, as a team and everything but yeah, I hope so.

"There has been a lot of learning across the course of the first 11, 12, 13 races we have had. Yeah, I hope we see that moving forwards."

Hamilton 'remembers pressures of first title battle'

Hamilton was on course to narrow the gap in the standings before a poor start in the Italian sprint left him stranded behind the McLarens on the grid for the grand prix at Monza.

With both Hamilton and Verstappen colliding and scoring no points, the fight remains in the balance.

Recalling the pressures of his first title tussle in 2007 that he lost by a point to Kimi Raikkonen, Hamilton said: "I remember what it was like battling for my first championship and now I am fighting my 10th battle or something like that.

"I know the pressure that comes with it and the experiences that go with it, so I can empathise with that. I think what is important is we continue to race hard and fair.

"I have no doubts we can both be professional and learn from the past. Obviously, he won't admit to it [feeling pressure] so I am not going to make an assumption."