Max Verstappen’s dominant 2022 campaign couldn’t have been any more different to how he claimed his maiden title in 2021, with the Dutchman having faced little competition this year.
For the vast majority of the season, Charles Leclerc was unable to maintain his title challenge, with Verstappen having simply been far superior.
The 25-year-old claimed 15 victories and 454 points in 2022, both of which were new records, in regard to the most wins and most points scored in a season.
On the few occasions where Verstappen was involved in a battled with Leclerc, the pair kept it beautifully clean, something that certainly didn’t happen between the Red Bull driver and Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
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Verstappen and Hamilton’s 2021 battle was truly titanic, with the pair having collided several times.
They famously came together at the British and Italian Grand Prix last year, both of which resulted in a horrific crash.
The pair saw less of each other this season, with Mercedes having struggled in the first season of the new aerodynamic regulations.
Despite this, the pair still managed to collide at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with neither having been prepared to give one another an inch.
Should the Silver Arrows return to the front in 2023 then it’s likely that the seven-time World Champion and the double World Champion will do battle once again, something Red Bull boss Christian Horner doesn’t want.
“No, not really,” Horner told talkSPORT, when asked if he wants to see Verstappen battling Hamilton again.
“I prefer it when there’s much more space between the two of them!”
It’s likely that F1 fans will get several more glimpses of the pair battling, as Hamilton is set to sign a new contract over the winter.
The 37-year-old’s current deal is set to expire at the end of 2023; however, himself and Toto Wolff have expressed their intent on an extension being signed over the winter.
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“Certainly, Lewis’ contract is one of the topics that we will tackle over the winter,” Wolff said.
“There’s no firm deadline. Absolutely, Lewis is part of the team and the team is part of Lewis.
“[There is] no reason [for that] to not continue. I think one of his strengths is that he’s always hungry, always eager. He’s a great sportsman but he’s also someone who is extremely driven and determined.”