Max Verstappen has “better nerves” than Lewis Hamilton to cope with their tense world championship fight, says ex-Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger.
Verstappen is currently leading the overall standings with 19 points with four races to go, and this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix is a typical place where his Red Bull team has dominated in recent years.
Berger has seen firsthand witnessing a title fight up close after finishing third in the championship twice in his career for Ferrari.
Berger told ORF: “I think Max is the cooler of the two. He’s got the better nerve. When Max crosses the finish line after winning, he sends a short “thank you” radio message to the team.
“He’s very clear in his head, not emotional, no crying or screaming.”
Regarding Hamilton, Berger said: “Lewis often overshoots the mark. It has nothing to do with titles or experience. It is in nature whether you perform particularly well under pressure.
“We saw it back in the Rosberg days when Lewis was most likely to be attacked.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton’s quest to win a record-breaking eighth world championship in Brazil this weekend could be dealt another blow as the Mercedes driver faces a starting penalty.
Hamilton’s team is considering an engine change that would exceed the number of parts their driver is allowed to use.
The Englishman was 10 places down at the Turkish Grand Prix last month after taking over his fourth engine in the campaign. He finished fifth, three places behind Max Verstappen.
When asked about the possibility of an engine change, Hamilton refused to rule this out.
“I can’t really comment on it at the moment,” said the 36-year-old. “My engines are good as far as I know, but I’ll find out later. We haven’t even done an engineering briefing. “
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