Max Verstappen Warned of Lewis Hamilton & Charles Leclerc’s Threat as Grid Lines Up to Dethrone the Champ

According to many F1 analysts and experts, Max Verstappen will win his third straight title based on his driving prowess in the previous season. Given Red Bull’s decision to go with the well-liked RB18 with a few tweaks, it might even be a possibility now. However, the AlphaTauri team boss mentioned something regarding the forthcoming season when the entire team arrived for the unveiling of their car that Verstappen supporters might not have appreciated.

With two World titles under his belt, Max Verstappen is now a strong favorite to win a third straight championship. Verstappen’s dominance during the previous season demonstrated that he will continue to do so for a while. The Dutchman set a record for the most victories in a season the year before, collecting 15 of a possible 22 triumphs. The season may have gone differently, though. If the other two major teams, Ferrari and Mercedes, had not experienced such serious problems. Putting all the ifs and buts aside, Franz Tost has warned Max Verstappen of the upcoming title threat from Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Speaking during the AT04’s New York premiere, Tost said, “I think that the whole field will be much closer together. Of course, the big three teams still have an advantage from their infrastructure, from the personnel side. But I’m quite convinced that in 2023 the cars will be much more evenly matched. In addition, while [Max] Verstappen won the championship quite early on in the season last year, I don’t expect that one driver will have such a big advantage this year and win so early. I think it will become a fight that goes on until the end of the season. That’s what the fans, spectators, and we all want to see.”

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Franz Tost, who is adamant that the field will be narrowing, suggests subtly that Verstappen’s championship may not be successfully defended. On the other side, a former Ferrari driver believes the Dutchman can take home a lot more titles.

Ex-Ferrari driver believes Max Verstappen will win many more titles

With Verstappen winning consecutive championships, the Formula One community was seen making various predictions about his future. Verstappen has advanced to a point where he trails the legendary Ayrton Senna by six race victories and one championship. However, a former Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa believes Verstappen will go on to win a lot more championships. Massa compared him to Ayrton Senna and other F1 greats.

Talking to racing news365 Massa said, “He is the best driver, with the best car and the best team. You can compare him to Schumacher, Hamilton and Senna in their golden times. He can still win many titles.”

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The probability is high for the 2023 season to be more exciting than the 2022 one. There are a variety of options, as Red Bull might have mastered the aerodynamic regulations. But they have been having problems in the wind tunnel. Meanwhile, the resurgence modes of Ferrari and Mercedes are active. If both teams are able to field a competitive car, the race will undoubtedly go all the way to the finals. Having said that, who do you think can take the championship of 2023?