Max Verstappen is aggressive but mature Lewis Hamilton is favourite: Karun Chandhok | Racing News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Indian racing driver Karun Chandhok expressed his excitement as Max Verstappen seized pole position for Formula One’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.
In his column for the Times of India, Chandhok wrote, “After 47 years, we head to the final round of the World Championship with the two title contenders equal on points. It’s been an extraordinary season with drama and controversy, crashes on track and a war of words off it, high quality driving but also some incidents which have marred the campaign. After 21 races, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton head to Abu Dhabi equal on points in a “winner takes all” contest reminiscent of the final at Wimbledon or the Cricket World Cup.”
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen are level on points in the standings, with Verstappen ahead 9-8 on race wins — meaning he will be champion regardless of where he finishes if Hamilton fails to score for any reason.
“For the past few days, most people have asked me two questions: (a) who do I think will win the title? (b) will Max and Lewis crash into each other? My answer to (a) is, I think Lewis is the favourite because the Mercedes does seem to be a faster car in race trim at the moment and (b) I hope not!” Chandhok added.
Verstappen was 0.371 of a second quicker than Hamilton, who had been more than half a second adrift after the first flying laps of the final session and could not find enough to close the gap.
“Hamilton has shown calmness and maturity in the heat of the title battle. The experience of seven previous title contests must be beneficial, especially when the pressure ramps up towards the end of the season. Verstappen is an extraordinary young man who has more talent to drive a race car in his little finger than most people can ever dream of. He’s only 24 years old while Lewis has been racing for 28! In terms of pure speed, there’s nothing to choose between them. In terms of mentality, personality and experience, they are poles apart. What connects them is their pure desire to win,” Chandhok opined.
The pole was Verstappen’s 10th of the 22-race season and the two fiercest of competitors on track showed there was still plenty of mutual respect with a fist bump after parking up their cars. Hamilton, 36, is chasing a record-breaking eighth title, while Verstappen, 24, seeks his first. They have had a number of incidents, including crashes in the British and Italian Grands Prix.
“The clashes on track this year have shown a very different style of racing between the two drivers. Max is clearly the more aggressive and is willing to place his car into gaps which most people will perceive as being risky and even unfair,” Chandhok concluded.
In his column for the Times of India, Chandhok wrote, “After 47 years, we head to the final round of the World Championship with the two title contenders equal on points. It’s been an extraordinary season with drama and controversy, crashes on track and a war of words off it, high quality driving but also some incidents which have marred the campaign. After 21 races, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton head to Abu Dhabi equal on points in a “winner takes all” contest reminiscent of the final at Wimbledon or the Cricket World Cup.”
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen are level on points in the standings, with Verstappen ahead 9-8 on race wins — meaning he will be champion regardless of where he finishes if Hamilton fails to score for any reason.
“For the past few days, most people have asked me two questions: (a) who do I think will win the title? (b) will Max and Lewis crash into each other? My answer to (a) is, I think Lewis is the favourite because the Mercedes does seem to be a faster car in race trim at the moment and (b) I hope not!” Chandhok added.
Verstappen was 0.371 of a second quicker than Hamilton, who had been more than half a second adrift after the first flying laps of the final session and could not find enough to close the gap.
“Hamilton has shown calmness and maturity in the heat of the title battle. The experience of seven previous title contests must be beneficial, especially when the pressure ramps up towards the end of the season. Verstappen is an extraordinary young man who has more talent to drive a race car in his little finger than most people can ever dream of. He’s only 24 years old while Lewis has been racing for 28! In terms of pure speed, there’s nothing to choose between them. In terms of mentality, personality and experience, they are poles apart. What connects them is their pure desire to win,” Chandhok opined.
The pole was Verstappen’s 10th of the 22-race season and the two fiercest of competitors on track showed there was still plenty of mutual respect with a fist bump after parking up their cars. Hamilton, 36, is chasing a record-breaking eighth title, while Verstappen, 24, seeks his first. They have had a number of incidents, including crashes in the British and Italian Grands Prix.
“The clashes on track this year have shown a very different style of racing between the two drivers. Max is clearly the more aggressive and is willing to place his car into gaps which most people will perceive as being risky and even unfair,” Chandhok concluded.
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