"There's gonna be tears" - Damon Hill previews F1 2021 season finale title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen

Former F1 driver Damon Hill has predicted that the upcoming season finale at Abu Dhabi could end in “tears” for either of the championship contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

The 1996 F1 world champion, speaking in a video posted by F1 as part of the build-up ahead of the season finale, said:

“A classic sets up where you've got a potential all-time greatest racing driver – undisputed. The eighth title that Lewis is going for versus Max, who’s got to break his duck and become world champion for the first time. There’s gonna be tears, somewhere.”

Following rising tensions between title protagonists Verstappen and Hamilton in the last few races, there have been growing concerns that the title could be decided by a race-ending crash for either of the two drivers.

The speculation was further amplified post the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last weekend, which saw both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton come together multiple times, with a particularly dramatic incident that saw one rear-ending the other.

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Lewis Hamilton could hold the edge over Max Verstappen going into the season finale

Despite being level on points with title rival Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton is technically behind the former in the standings, courtesy of Verstappen's higher number of wins.

Heading into the final round of the championship in Abu Dhabi, however, it could be a different play, as Hamilton and Mercedes still hold the edge over Verstappen and Red Bull after winning the last three consecutive races.

The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton looked unbeatable in Brazil and Qatar – both of them rewarding aero efficiency and straight-line speed over downforce levels.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has previously claimed that the straight-line advantage from the new power unit on Lewis Hamilton’s car has been a reason for worry, terming it “un-raceable”.

When asked about Hamilton’s straight-line speed after taking the new engine at Brazil on the F1 Nation podcast, Horner said:

“The engine speed that Hamilton has is unreal. You can't defend against that. It's the most frustrating thing for a driver to be sitting with that kind of deficit. And that's, that's what I think has been really frustrating. The last three, four races have just been everybody just watching that. That dominant straight-line performance which you can't do anything about.”

Although Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominated last year’s race at the circuit, the newly remodeled Abu Dhabi circuit might be a cause of worry for the Red Bull with its high rake and higher downforce levels. Early signs indicate that the Mercedes will be better suited to the track compared to the Red Bull.