The battle for this year’s championship is expected to be one of the closest and most ferocious yet, fuelled by the eager expectation of a truly global audience. The sports following has reached unprecedented levels of interest. This is demonstrated by the record-earning 23 races, including the recent addition of two new circuits in Miami and Las Vegas, proof the sport is attracting the attention of the lucrative US investment market. The continued success of Netflix’s behind-the-scenes documentary series ‘Drive to Survive’, adds insight to the politics, dynamics, and rivalries not always apparent on race day.
So, who is on the cards for a championship title in Formula One’s 2023 season?
Looking to secure his third consecutive championship is Max Verstappen, the talented, uncompromising, and at times, hot-headed Redbull star. The Dutch driver is the favourite to win this season with odds of 5/6. Max won his maiden victory in Formula One’s biggest controversy, as he and Hamilton took the title battle to the final race of the 2021 season. His second championship victory was seemingly easier, with the Redbull car dominating performance statistics while their competition suffered numerous reliability and design flaws throughout the last season.
Second favourite to win is Lewis Hamilton - who remains a top contender despite the Mercedes car suffering a disappointing previous season. The highly decorated Brit, often referred to as the greatest of all time, is a fearless challenger in his sport and determined to make a return to the top after the controversial setback of the 2021 season. Lewis received no wins last year,for the first time in his entire F1 career, but the 38-year-old remains motivated to preparing to secure his eighth world title.
Charles Leclerc, who started last season on a high is ready to enter the fight once more with Ferrari. The talented Monegasque driver was denied the chance of a 2022 title victory due to Ferrari’s engine problems, the driver retiring from 2 races due to power unit failures. He also suffered from poor team strategy calls which need to be drastically improved for this season if Ferrari want to succeed.
Tied with Leclerc for third favourite to win is George Russell. The Brit earned his maiden F1 victory at the Brazilian 2022 Grand Prix. Russell also suffered due to the Mercedes 2021 season but finished 4th in the overall championships – and importantly, above his teammate Hamilton.
These four stars are not the only names in Formula One that stand a chance of winning. Carlos Sainz took a deserving first race win at the British Grand Prix last season, and the Spaniard is keen to challenge his Ferrari colleague Leclerc for more glory. Sergio Perez, who came third overall in the 2022 season has a harder task against his Redbull teammate, Verstappen. The two had a noticeable disagreement on track in the penultimate race in Brazil, revealing hidden tensions in the Redbull garage. Lando Norris, the third Briton in the championship, is also an up-and-coming name in the sport. The young McLaren driver is certainly a future contender, but it is unlikely that this could be his year.