Formula 1 2023 Season Preview: Drivers, Tracks & More
As the calendar turns through 2023, attention naturally begins to turn to the upcoming Formula 1 season. With the dust just about settling from one of the most one sided campaigns in recent memory as Max clinched his second Formula 1 World Championship title, it promises to be an intriguing battle for glory in 2023.
Inevitably, driver and team changes have been dominating the headlines in the off-season, as every team wriggles for the fine margins that could be the difference when it comes to putting the cars on the track.
With so much intrigue and speculation surrounding the 2023 F1 season, it promises to be another fascinating campaign, set to get underway in Bahrain on March 5th, 2023.
Here are some things to keep an eye on ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championships:
Formula 1 Calendar Expansion
Formula 1 king makers are constantly pushing the form when it comes to how they can grow the sport globally, and in 2023, they have moved to make the F1 calendar bigger than it has ever been before.
This season, there will be a record-breaking total of 23 race weekends. The now customary Bahrain Grand Prix will kick off the season on March 5th, after what should be a very intriguing spell of testing in Barcelona – starting in mid/late February.
From there, the circuit rolls further afield to Saudi Arabia, Australia and Azerbaijan before the iconic Monaco Grand Prix in late May. A race that should be a real yard stick as to where the teams and drivers are at in 2023.
After Monaco, the European swing of the circuit takes hold, with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone always attracting big crowds, before the Italian Grand Prix in Monza in early September, which again tends to be a real marker in the sand for team’s prospects for this season.
Moving into the Northern Hemisphere in Autumn, the circuit continues to Asia and South America before the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, which promises to be a historic event for the sport of Formula 1.
The season then concludes the following weekend in Abu Dhabi, where we will see who is officially crowned as World Champion 2023.
Will anybody be able to stop Max Verstappen?
Whilst his 2021 Formula 1 World title win was shrouded in controversy at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, there was nothing at all controversial about the way in which Max Verstappen won his second world title in 2022.
Although Charles Leclerc looked to be a challenger of sorts in the first couple of races in the 2022 season, Verstappen was just too clinical, winning an incredible 15 out of 22 races on the circuit.
With two more podiums to boot, Verstappen amassed an incredible 454 points for the season, outscoring his nearest challenger Leclerc by almost 150 points and his dominance clear for all to see.
Inevitably however, a new season brings a fresh start and there will be plenty of drivers hoping to close the gap on Verstappen and Red Bull in 2023.
The aforementioned Charles Leclerc has long been Ferrari’s bright light and whilst he showed his naivety at times last season, he is a seriously quick operator – who will be desperate to bring back the glory days of old to Ferrari.
How much work the team have been able to do on their car remains to be seen but with new team principal Fred Vasseur at the helm, Ferrari will be hoping for a good season.
2022 was a season to forget for Mercedes, who saw the talismanic Lewis Hamilton go a whole season without winning a race.
As 7-time world champion, Hamilton remains one of the fieriest characters on the grid and if Mercedes manage to get their car where they need it to be, nobody should be writing Hamilton off in 2023.
By the same token, the emergence of George Russell in the Mercedes team was one of a few positives they gleaned from last season and the young Brit should only be better in 2023 for last years’ experience. Could this lead to him being in contention for Championship honours this term?
Who will drive for who in 2023?
Red Bull will once again be the team to beat this season, having sailed home with both Verstappen in the Driver’s Championship and in the Constructors Championship. Once again Max Verstappen will be joined by Mexican Sergio Perez in 2023.
Mercedes haven’t opted to make any changes with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at the wheel, whilst Ferrari will be hoping Carlos Sainz Jr can continue to provide good support for Charles Leclerc.
New blood is on the grid for McLaren as the exciting Lando Norris will be joined by rookie Australian Oscar Piastri, whilst young American Logan Sargeant will be hoping to turn around Williams’ fortunes in his debut season, alongside Alex Albon.
Alfa Romeo are once again entrusting Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, while Alpha Tauri have bought in Dutch driver Nyck de Vries to join Yuki Tsunoda in his third season with the team. Pierre Gasly has moved to Alpine, alongside Esteban Ocon, whilst Haas have reunited Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg after their clash in Hungary in 2017.
At Aston Martin, one legend has replaced another as Sebastian Vettel walked away from Formula 1, to be replaced by Fernando Alonso – who will team up with Lance Stroll in 2023.
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Author: ChampionsTravel
2023-02-09
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