In 2022, Lewis Hamilton fans were devoided of seeing him battle for the Championship. Hamilton recorded a winless season for the first time in his 17 years in Formula 1. The last time we saw him battle for the title was in 2021 against Max Verstappen.
However, the Briton is optimistic about the team’s chances in 2023. Hamilton expects the W14 to be much faster and competitive and will be able to claw out the 8-time Constructors champions from their slump.
Mercedes have given hope to the Briton of fighting for the title. But Lewis knows feels the car is far from catching up with the likes of Verstappen and Red Bull.
Hamilton claims Mercedes have work to do before catching up to Verstappen
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton concluded 3 days of pre-season testing in Bahrain. While Max completed 204 laps over 2 days, the 7-time Champion amassed 220 laps over 3 days.
However, Verstappen managed to reveal the true pace of the RB19 through his lap times. While Hamilton was a lot more conservative with his lap times and had some mechanical issues on day 2.
Overall Hamilton concluded the 3 days of testing, saying, “It is difficult, to sum up, the test. We have had a couple of difficult days. Friday particularly was a bit of a struggle.”
He added, “Right now, the bouncing has pretty much gone, so that is a huge step for us, but there are still some underlining things we are working through. It is difficult to know exactly where we stand. It is going to be tough for everyone.”
Hamilton’s tone signals that Verstappen and co will not face any threat from Mercedes. And with his most experienced rival waving a white flag, Max remains a title favourite for another year.
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Can Max Verstappen Win his 3rd consecutive title?
Verstappen won the 2022 title with ease. The Dutchman totalled 15 race wins and 454 points on the course to claim his 2nd Championship. Red Bull also had the fastest car, and challenging them directly after a poor season seems unlikely.
Max is the strongest contender for this year’s title race. If he achieves it, he will be only the 5th driver in the sport’s history to have won 3 consecutive titles.
Max’s biggest competitor will be Charles Leclerc. But Ferrari still seems short of Red Bull’s speed based on their Pre-season performances. Leclerc himself believes he needed some time to adapt to the SF-23.
Mercedes will be better than last year but still not up to their 2014-21 form. The team might take this season to improve their car. So it’s fair to say the Dutchman’s title defence is looking solid now.
Also Read: Back to Back Championships Give Max Verstappen No Extra Edge With 2023 Red Bull F1 Challenger
