Hamilton v Verstappen, surprise driver and other 2023 F1 predictions
Lewis Hamilton on difficult season for Mercedes in November
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The New Year marks a step closer to the return of what promises to be an epic 2023 in Formula One. The 2022 season belonged to Red Bull, as the irrepressible Max Verstappen steamrolled to his second world title and Mercedes floundered. But after another winter of change both on the grid and behind the scenes in the team factories, F1 is set to throw up some fresh surprises as the bumper calendar gets underway in Bahrain in March.
Express Sport makes five predictions for when the lights go out once again in 2023.
Hamilton vs Verstappen rivalry
Hamilton could hardly have imagined a worse 2022 after agonisingly having an eighth world title snatched from his grasp by Verstappen in Abu Dhabi in 2021. The Brit will quickly want to forget a miserable winless season where he finished sixth in the drivers’ standings, was outscored by his new teammate George Russell and saw his Dutch rival break the record for the highest number of race wins.
But there are no guarantees that Red Bull will maintain such dominance in 2023 after adapting to the all-new regulation rules so effectively last time out. Red Bull’s significantly reduced wind tunnel time, combined with a late up-turn in performances from Mercedes sets up a potentially tantalising Constructors Championship battle, with Ferrari also keen to eradicate their costly 2022 errors and compete once more.
And 37-year-old Hamilton will make his experience count as he roars back into a title challenge and reignites his rivalry with Verstappen in 2023. If Mercedes use their mistakes from the 2022 season to address key weaknesses, Hamilton will overcome Verstappen and spearhead the Silver Arrows back to the top of F1.
Surprise driver
America finally has an F1 driver back on the grid for the first time since 2015 and Logan Sargeant will be the surprise package in 2023. The talented 21-year-old is deserving of his place alongside Alex Albon at Williams after his stunning F2 campaign and will become the first American to claim points in F1 since Mario Andretti.
Of course, Sergeant is not the only rookie on the grid with Nyck de Vries and Oscar Piastri both tipped to shine in F1. But there is every chance Sargeant could even outscore his experienced teammate Albon and capitalise on some risky Williams strategy calls to make some top-tens in his debut season.
Norris race win
This will finally be the year Lando Norris realises his dream as a race winner with the Brit ready to top the podium in the McLaren in 2023. Norris was the only driver outside Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari to register a podium last season and drove with a consistency that deserved to yield a higher points total.
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The competitve advantage of powerhouses Red Bull and Mercedes could wane as the budget cap rules start to make more of a profound impact on the grid. And McLaren will capitalise and come out of the blocks flying come spring.
And while luck is undoubtedly a key factor after his near-misses in 2021, Norris is finely poised to finally get a race win on the board in 2023.
Pressure on Perez
Sergio Perez has insisted he is ‘relaxed’ about Daniel Ricciardo’s arrival as Red Bull reserve driver but the Mexican is now under even more pressure to perform. Perez faltered in the latter stages of 2022 and lead driver Verstapen shares a close relationship with Ricciardo after the duo were teammates from 2016 to 2018.
Eight-time race winner Ricciardo’s return to his old team represents a gamble after he relinquished his place on the F1 grid. But Verstappen’s relationship with Perez is more fractious than ever after the tense team orders row in Brazil and Ricciardo could be the beneficiary in 2024 should Perez fail to deliver the results demanded in 2023.
Alonso regret
Fernando Alonso’s decision to leave the ever-improving Alpine to be Sebastian Vettel’s star replacement at Aston Martin may well prove a mistake in 2023. Alpine excelled in finishing P4 in the constructors’ standings last year, while Aston Martin finished a lowly seventh.
Alonso grew frustrated with Alpine’s reliability issues and failed to register a podium despite glimpses of his brilliance with some impressive drives in 2022. And the Spaniard has taken a significant risk that could backfire if he is fighting for the final points positions with new teammate Lance Stroll next season.
Despite encouraging signs of growth at his new team, it will take something special for Alonso to outperform both Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Eseteban Ocon in 2023.
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