Hill sees shock Hamilton win at Paul Ricard

Damon Hill has gone out on a limb and predicted that Mercedes will prevail next Sunday in France where the 1996 F1 world champion sees Lewis Hamilton taking top spoils at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

Mercedes' recent progress has carried the team to four consecutive podium finishes, with Hamilton finishing third in Canada, Britain and Austria.

However, the Brackely squad's improved W13 silver arrow, while it has inched closer to its Red Bull and Ferrari rivals, is still no match for the latter on pure pace.

But looking into his crystal ball on the most recent F1 Nation podcast, Hill sees a particular scenario panning out in the French Grand Prix involving title contenders Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

"I’m going to go for Lewis Hamilton," Hill confidently told host Tom Clarkson.

"I think there’s going to be an incident. We’ve been talking about how well they [Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc] have been getting on.

"I think that first corner [in France] is a bit tricky, the little chicane thing. Let’s say Charles loses his front wing or Max gets a puncture or something like that.

"Or maybe even on pure pace the Mercedes springs a surprise. I think in their race trim, Lewis has been on occasion, very, very quick.

"It could even be Lewis first, George second and Carlos Sainz third."

• Read also: Leclerc impressive, but Red Bull package 'nearly unbeatable' - Berger

Hill's bold – perhaps even outlandish – crystal gazing didn't impress F1 veteran Gerhard Berger who was sitting in on the podcast. The Austrian jokingly questioned the former Williams driver's sobriety.

"What’s going on with you guys, are you drinking or what?" quipped the ten-time Grand Prix winner.

"I wouldn’t go that far. The Mercedes hasn’t worked really well anywhere this year.

"It could be maybe a bit better, but I don’t think it will go so much in this direction that they suddenly will play a role to win the race."

Berger conceded that the Paul Ricard track could help Mercedes improve its performance.

"Paul Ricard has always been a little bit different. It’s very smooth," he added.

"It’s a very different style of circuit. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mercedes works a bit better there, it’s very flat. But in general, it will be again a fight between Red Bull and Ferrari."

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