Max Verstappen has a 19-point lead over Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers' championship with four races to go, but Gerhard Berger believes the Red Bull driver also has another advantage over his arch-rival: better nerves.

The two drivers will resume their fierce title battle this weekend in Sao Paulo where pundits are predicting another close fight, although odds currently favour Red Bull over Mercedes based on Verstappen's dominant win in Mexico City last weekend.

But more wheel-to-wheel action is expected from Formula 1's two protagonists as the championship heads into its final leg, but when it comes to the pair's on-track engagement, Berger believes that Verstappen is better equipped mentally than his opponent.

"I think Max is the cooler of the two," Berger told Austrian broadcaster ORF. "He has the better nerves.

"When Max crosses the line after a victory, he does a short ‘thank you’ radio message to the team. He’s very clear in the head, not emotional, no crying or screaming.

"Lewis often overshoots the mark. It has nothing to do with titles or experience," added the former Ferrari and McLaren driver.

"It is just down to nature whether you perform particularly well under pressure.

"We saw it already in the Rosberg days, when Lewis was most likely to be attacked."

Verstappen and Hamilton have suffered two flash points this season, at Silverstone and at Monza, and many believe the pair will clash again at some point in the final races of 2021.

However, last week in Mexico City, Hamilton insisted that he vowed to race his adversary cleanly, as usual, through "sheer skill" and hard work, and avoid any dubious antics.

"We’ve never won a championship in that way, I’ve never won a championship in that way, and would never want to," Hamilton said.

"So that’s from my perspective and my point of view. I’m here to win and in the right way, and that’s through sheer skill and determination and hard work."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

Leclerc confident Ferrari ‘has a shot’ at F1 Constructors’ title

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari has a genuine “shot” at beating rival McLaren to Formula…

35 mins ago

Komatsu: F1 teams united against Audi 2026 cost-cap offset

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that nine Formula 1 teams stand in opposition…

2 hours ago

Las Vegas GP: Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in trouble-free FP1

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell led the field in a chilly but trouble-free first practice…

3 hours ago

2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the United…

3 hours ago

Aston Martin says performance shortfall led to Fallows exit

Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough has shed some light on why the team’s former…

12 hours ago

FIA clamps down on plank loophole after Red Bull complaint

The FIA has issued a pivotal Technical Directive to F1 teams ahead of this weekend’s…

14 hours ago