Hill believes Hamilton has a significant advantage over Verstappen in the race

As the 2021 title race reaches its crunch point, Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton has moved out of “semi-engaged” mode.

Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton has stepped up his performance in his pursuit of the 2021 world championship, claiming that the Mercedes driver is frequently “semi-engaged” until the season’s final stages.

Hamilton won back-to-back races in Brazil and Qatar to cut Verstappen’s lead to eight points, with 52 points still up for grabs at the season’s last two races in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

Hill, who won the Formula One championship with Williams in 1996, said the seven-time World Champion now has “a spring in his step” as he pursues a record-breaking eighth title.

“Hamilton is getting better and better”

Hill commented: “I think [Hamilton’s] been getting better and better.

“He does this. It seems to me [that] he goes on a kind of semi-engaged period in the middle of the season, and then when he needs to finish off the championship, he sort of becomes a completely, totally focused individual.

“[He’s] gaining, closing the gap – [there’s] definitely a spring in his step.”

Advantage Mercedes but it’s far from over

Despite his optimism about Hamilton’s chances, Hill believes that any driver will be at comfortable in this situation.

“I don’t think it’s a time for happiness just yet,” added Hill. “I think the tension is still too intense, it’s too palpable.

“They’re so close to the finish now and nobody really knows what’s going to happen.

“Lewis won but he wasn’t leaping up and down in celebration. I think he’s been pretty cool about keeping his emotions in check, as has Max.

“Max didn’t come out of that race thinking, ‘Oh, it’s a disaster, the championship is slipping away’. He thought he’d done a good job with what he could do.

“But the performance advantage was definitely there for Mercedes.”

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