Ali Khaled says: No chance The short answer is no. And so is the long one. In 2023, nobody will, or can, stop Max Verstappen.
The reigning two-time F1 world champion is quite simply racing on his own. Last year, after an initial challenge from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, the 25-year-old Dutchman blew the opposition away, coasting to a second consecutive championship with four races left in the season.
There was no need for the drama and controversy that surrounded his maiden title a year earlier in Abu Dhabi. Having seized that opportunity at Yas Marina Circuit in 2021 to overcome habitual winner Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen has since gone from strength to strength, showing little inclination in letting any of his rivals get so much as a glimpse of the Formula One championship.
The best driver, in the best, car, is a devastating proposition, as Hamilton and Mercedes will attest after years of dominance.