Alain Prost believes that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen cannot be compared due to their different levels of experience as they compete for the 2021 World Championship. Verstappen is currently ahead on points and will be hoping to win his first ever title this season. Meanwhile Hamilton would secure a record eighth World Championship if he were to come out on top in the battle. It is because of these very different circumstances that Prost thinks it is not possible to compare the two drivers. "If you compare for example Max and Lewis, it is very difficult to compare a driver who is trying to get their first championship," Prost explained to the F1 Nation podcast. "Compared to a guy that knows how to prepare his race and manage his season. "It's very difficult in terms of pressure. As soon as Max will win a championship, I think he can be a fantastic driver. But Lewis is a very complete driver. He has all the tools. He's unbelievable." Despite this, Prost thinks that Verstappen and Red Bull might currently have the upper hand in the battle this season. "It's difficult to say who's going to win, but the first thing is it's going to be a nice battle," the four-times F1 World Champion said. "I think Red Bull and Max are in better shape, in my opinion today, but it's always a long season and that can reverse differently. But for one or two reasons [I think this]. "First of all, Sergio Perez is starting to do a good job so it's going to be a big help. I don't think he's going to be a strength for Red Bull but more help. "Valtteri [Bottas] is not, psychologically it's a very difficult situation. I like Valtteri as a person and this must be quite tough, to be in a team like this, but you could see that the psychology of the teams [has changed]. "Before you had a very nervous Red Bull team and very up and down. And then you can see some different things at Mercedes, some small mistakes, some misunderstandings, some very nervous reactions from Toto [Wolff], for example. "They could never see that before, so things can change and that can make the difference, in my opinion, during the year."
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