F1 pundit Eddie Jordan expects Max Verstappen and Red Bull to dominate the upcoming season.
The Dutchman and his team were ruthless last year as the 25-year-old stormed to a second consecutive world title and Christian Horner and co won their first constructors crown since 2013. Lewis Hamilton, 38, who went through an entire campaign without a win for the first time in his illustrious F1 tenure in 2022, is relishing the opportunity to compete for this year’s title with his rivals.
But during a chat with The Metro, to the dismay of the seven-time world champion, Jordan expects a very similar outcome for the new season. “I think more the same. I think Max is so on top of his game, he’s so arrogant, he’s so aggressive, he’s super confident and he’s got another Adrian Newey car under him,” he said.
“Of course there’s weaknesses in every team, in every person because we’re all human, but Max seems to be less flawed than any other driver. Red Bull are very, very strong.
"I’m quite sure that with the advancements of the Honda engine [they will win again]. Put all that package together, it will be very difficult to knock them off their perch.”
Hamilton finished sixth in the drivers standings at the end of a very frustrating season which compounded the agony of a controversial decision preventing him from winning a record eighth championship in 2021. But this year, without the problems of Abu Dhabi two years ago in the back of his mind, which Jordan believes impacted his start to last season, the 74-year-old is confident that although Hamilton may not win the championship, he will certainly be in the hunt.
“I just so happen to believe that Lewis will be a much bigger force this season," he added. "This time last year the problems of Abu Dhabi ’21 were playing on his mind, and he started the season poorly and I think he gave an opportunity to George Russell and we saw which way the championship finished as a result.
"Forget last year for now with Lewis. He wouldn’t be doing this unless he was determined to win his eighth world title so I think we’re going to see a titanic battle for the championship and I’m looking forward to it immensely.
“I really do think that Lewis will take the upper hand back again and that’s not a refection on George. He’s had the whole winter to reflect on this. I think Lewis will be back to himself and he will be determined but Mercedes will have to pull something out of the bag this year.”
Another pundit weighing on Mercedes' potential fortunes this year was Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz, who claimed Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are “at least” another year from challenging for the drivers’ title.
"Is that actually going to happen? Because unless something really weird happens, Lewis is not going to win an eighth championship this year, is he?," he said.
“The word at Mercedes is ‘eventually’. Toto said at the launch: ‘We have to have a car capable of challenging for the championship eventually’.
“George Russell used the word ‘eventually’ twice in one answer! Eventually, eventually. They are still catching up from being nine, 10, 11 months behind on last year’s car.”
