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Max Verstappen will be heading into the 2023 F1 season as a two-time world champion and he will be hoping to defend his title again.
The last two seasons have been transformative for F1 and the Red Bull driver. The 2021 F1 was the first time in his career that Max Verstappen had a car with which he could compete for the title.
After a year of a to-and-fro championship battle, he was able to make it happen as he won his first title in the last race of the season. The Red Bull driver repeated the feat in 2022 as well, but in a far more dominant fashion as he won the title with races to spare.
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There was an early stutter for sure as Verstappen suffered DNFs in two of the three races. However, he recovered to win the title with a record 15 wins that season.
The 2023 F1 season brings with it a whole load of challenges though. Red Bull could potentially face challenges from both Mercedes and Ferrari. Red Bull could seriously suffer from the cost cap penalty as well.
In all of this, is it a possibility that Max Verstappen does not win the title? Well, there is reason to believe that this could happen.
#1 Red Bull might get overtaken in terms of performance
Red Bull are facing an uphill task this season. The team were already compromised with reduced development time this season as they won the championship last year. To make things worse, the penalty for the cost cap breach further reduces the development time by 10%.
Red Bull had the best car on the grid last season. However, it wasn't a commanding advantage for the team over Ferrari and Mercedes. With the Austrian squad heavily disadvantaged, the two teams could make the play and jump Red Bull in the pecking order.
Now, Max Verstappen might just be the best driver on the grid. However, when the car is just not good enough to fight at the front, you can't outperform the machinery to that extent. The Belgian-Dutch driver risks ending up with an uncompetitive car this season and if he does, a title win looks unlikely.
#2 Mercedes and Ferrari have massive scope for improvement
Another factor that must be taken seriously by Red Bull as well is the scope of improvement that is in play for both Mercedes and Ferrari.
Mercedes, on their part, are coming into the 2023 F1 season much better prepared than last season. The team were severely handicapped by the bouncing phenomenon last season, which left them unable to compete with the best on the grid.
By the end of the season, the gap to the front had been significantly reduced. Mercedes even ended up winning the race in Brazil as well and they are in a much better position to mount a challenge this season.
Similarly, Ferrari, a team that was severely compromised by an unreliable engine, have a clear area where they can make improvements.
According to multiple reports, Ferrari had to turn down their engine by 20% to make it last. If that power can now be unlocked, that's free lap time for the time.
To add to this, if we take into consideration the extra development time, Ferrari and Mercedes are in a prime position to gain on Red Bull. They could even jump the team in terms of performance.
#3 Max Verstappen might not have an overtly willing teammate looking to help him
Max Verstappen is going to look back and regret what happened in Brazil last season. The Red Bull driver did not show his best side to the world that day and unfortunately to his teammates as well.
It's not unfair to say that Max Verstappen's title bid in 2021 had some support from Sergio Perez as well. The Mexican made sure he held up Lewis Hamilton to the best of his ability.
The defense in Turkey or in the last race of the 2021 F1 season were significant in terms of the championship. They required Sergio Perez to lay it all on the line for Max Verstappen.
It's safe to say that after Verstappen didn't let Perez pass in Brazil, it would be a big surprise if Sergio Perez still goes the extra mile for him.
Championships, especially intense ones, are won from thin margins. That particular advantage that Max Verstappen had over his competition is probably gone now.
