Max Verstappen believes Ferrari and Mercedes have improved considerably to bridge the hole to Pink Bull within the lead-up to the 2023 F1 season.
Pink Bull overcame preliminary reliability points at the beginning of 2022 to storm their approach to each the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships with 17 wins in 2022 races.
Such was the magnitude of Verstappen’s dominance that the Dutchman received 15 races to set a brand new single-season document whereas additionally amassing essentially the most factors by a driver ever in a single marketing campaign.
Ferrari floundered what seemed to be real title aspirations for the primary time in years. In the meantime, Mercedes have been mired in mediocrity with the W13 for many of 2022, as they completed second and third within the standings, respectively.
Max Verstappen feels the title battle won’t be as elementary this time round, as each Ferrari and Mercedes have labored onerous within the low season on their challengers for the marketing campaign.
When requested about Ferrari’s prospects this season throughout a press convention forward of the 2023 F1 Bahrain GP, the place Sportskeeda was additionally current, the reigning two-time world champion mentioned:
“At Ferrari they’ve centered enormously on being sooner on the straights, however sure, due to that you just lose within the corners. So time will inform what the appropriate determination was. Clearly, you need to go quick on the straights, however you continue to should have sufficient grip on a nook. You at all times should attempt to discover some stability.”
The 25-year-old believes each Ferrari and Mercedes have labored on engine reliability, and that might go a good distance in enhancing their possibilities and even usurping Pink Bull. He added:
“Everybody is meant to have labored on engine reliability. We’re doing properly. Ferrari needed to decrease the engine rather a lot final yr, and I believe Mercedes additionally discovered one thing. So, I believe the others have taken a step ahead on this space. Perhaps much more than us by way of pure energy, however ultimately a lot of the efficiency has to return from the single-seater.”
Max Verstappen stays tight-lipped on RB19’s possibilities to duplicate its predecessor’s success
Max Verstappen was comparatively coy about his and Pink Bull’s possibilities in 2023 with the RB19 after a dominant displaying from its predecessor, the RB18.
After a record-breaking season that noticed him win his second Drivers’ World Championship title whereas catapulting Pink Bull to their first Constructors’ crown since 2013, Verstappen is anticipated to proceed acting at this exalted degree.
Heading into pre-season testing in Bahrain forward of the primary race in 2023, the double-world champion is optimistic about what he can obtain with out being carried away simply but.
In a press launch issued by Pink Bull, Max Verstappen mentioned:
“I’m feeling good and relaxed heading into the 2023 season. I had an excellent break and ready properly this yr. Time is so restricted at testing so hopefully, we have now some stable days with out too many points, it’s essential to have clean classes.”
The Dutchman went on so as to add:
“The Group have labored onerous over the winter and I hope the RB19 is one other good automotive to problem up on the entrance with however time will inform.”
Max Verstappen was pressured to retire from final yr’s Bahrain GP after serving up good wheel-to-wheel motion for a lot of the race with Charles Leclerc.
Ought to he win this yr’s season opener, he would be the first driver since Nico Rosberg in 2015-2016 to complete an F1 season and begin the next marketing campaign with consecutive wins.
