Max Verstappen travels to Saudi Arabia with an eight point lead in the championship. With only two races left, it will be the first time in his career that Max Verstappen has been able to fight for the title.
However, with Lewis Hamilton hot on his heels and trying to take full advantage with a car that looks significantly faster than the Red Bull F1 car, the title seems destined to go to the end.
Despite rising odds, Max Verstappen is the title favorite
In this article we look at three reasons why Max Verstappen can be considered a favorite to win the championship in 2021.
# 1 Max Verstappen was the better driver this season
Although Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion, it is currently difficult to contest Max Verstappen as the best driver on the grid. If we compare the two, both drivers showed great performances and acted at a very high level.
But while Lewis Hamilton was comparatively prone to error, Max Verstappen stayed on course. The Briton has his share of average weekends like in Imola or Monaco, while Max Verstappen has never experienced such a weekend.
With all the hustle and bustle, we like to forget that Max Verstappen lost massive points in Baku and Hungary. Without these streaks of bad luck, the championship might already be behind him. The Dutchman stayed afloat by getting the best out of his car and not making any mistakes. In addition, nothing more can be asked of the driver.
# 2 He still has an eight point lead over Lewis Hamilton
The eight point lead that Max Verstappen currently has are decisive for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Mercedes will likely be hard to beat in Saudi Arabia because of the high-speed track layout. Even if Hamilton wins and goes the fastest lap to get a tie, he would still be in the Verstappen championship as the latter has more wins this season.
And although Lewis Hamilton has played at a ridiculously high level in the last couple of races, as we discussed, he has shown a tendency to make mistakes or have a weekend off. Should he slip again in the next two races, the title could play into Max Verstappen’s hands.
# 3 Red Bull was the better team operationally
Mercedes is so far unbeaten in the turbo era. They didn’t even get a worthy challenge that managed to survive until the end of the season. This year, however, the tide turned and the Silver Arrows were awakened by Red Bull.
When it comes to strategic brilliance and operational excellence, Red Bull is one step ahead, while Mercedes made some mistakes under pressure.
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Although Mercedes will likely have the fastest car available in the next two races, the pressure will skyrocket at some point. When that happens, Mercedes tend to panic and suffer from indecision. If they come under pressure again, it could give Max the edge he needs to finally get a head start on Hamilton.
Edited by Sandeep Banerjee
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