Damon Hill thinks it could be tough for Max Verstappen to keep his cool given how quickly the lead in the World Championship standings can change. Following his victory at the United States Grand Prix, Verstappen tops the standings and has increased the gap to Lewis Hamilton to 12 points. But with five races remaining, a non-finish or penalty could dramatically affect this, and Hill wonders if this pressure might affect the Dutchman. "I think it's going to be difficult for Max to keep his cool now," Hill told the F1 Nation podcast. "Because he's sort of got just a tiny little glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. That little light that says, 'You're a World Champion'. "I think, my God, to keep your cool now… You know that it can all swing the other way. In some senses, it's yours to lose. You've almost got it, but you can lose it, and that is a tension as much as it's a relief. "Sometimes it's harder to hold this precious thing and protect it, than it is to chase after something." Meanwhile, Hamilton is the one doing the chasing, but Hill questions whether the Mercedes is strong enough to challenge Red Bull. "Lewis has often said he'd prefer to be the predator than the prey," the former F1 driver said. "What has Lewis actually got to attack with? It looks like he's losing the things he needs to attack Max. "So I think, in some senses, Max is comfortable with the fact that the car can do the job for him, and he can do the job. "But it's much more difficult as you get closer and closer to the final destination."
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