Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger has made a bold prediction for the rest of Lewis Hamilton’s season, saying the seven-time champion will make more mistakes.
Hamilton finds himself in uncharted territory, with momentum and ranking against him. He sits second in the WDC behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. He had a golden chance to leapfrog his title rival in Baku, but he made a calamitous blunder and finished with no points.
Berger believes that Hamilton will make more mistakes under pressure, especially if Verstappen can maintain it.
Speaking to Servus TV, Berger said, “You can see quite clearly now that the two are on a par. Max is even slightly ahead. But a lot can still happen this season, it’s still long.
“It’s great how Formula 1 is presenting itself this year. Finally, after so many years, we see two or three-way battles once again. Then in qualifying Ferrari can come in from behind and put itself on pole.
“With Max and Lewis we have two exceptional drivers and they now have a technical package that doesn’t give each other anything. Max has a super-fast car and he also has an engine that isn’t that far away from the Mercedes power unit. Max is playing all keys on the piano and Lewis will make more mistakes under pressure than in the past,” he concluded.
Leading from the front
Berger praised Red Bull and Honda for their fantastic start to the season, and how they have hit the ground running and become the fastest on the grid.
“The Red Bull team is blossoming,” Berger said.
“They have been looking for more engine power for two or three years and Honda did a great job over the winter and did their homework. There is a great chance to become World Champion again.”
The Austrian also expressed his happiness in his country’s influence in motorsport thanks to the association with Red Bull.
“That we have become such a strong motorsport nation with Red Bull, with our own Formula 1 team fighting for the World Championship, with a second team, is fantastic,” Berger said
“Add to that a race track (the Red Bull Ring) where everything takes place – a Formula 1 double-header, also MotoGP and DTM – that’s a blessing for us motorsport fans.
“I’m always asked about how the small country of Austria is involved everywhere and plays a role,” he beamed.
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