Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated Formula One last season. The Belgian-Dutch ace has won two world titles in a row and is the bookies’ favorite to retain his championship in 2023. With an exciting year of wheel-to-wheel racing on the horizon, can anyone stop Verstappen in 2023?
F1 Growing in Popularity
The UK sports streaming market is dominated by soccer, with the big clubs in the Premier League drawing huge streaming interest. However, the recent Drive to Survive Netflix series helped grow the F1 brand. This ExpressVPN infographic demonstrates how UK streaming figures rocketed alongside searches for Drive to Survive. With a new season expected to drop on Netflix in 2024, those streaming figures are likely to increase again.
Even the most casual of sports fans are aware that football dominates the UK sports streaming market, with golf being next on the list. Apart from football, Formula One makes up 10% of the other UK streaming searches. When Drive to Survive was peaking on Netflix, there was a spike in the Formula One UK streaming figures.
Formula One has always been a popular sport in the UK, and the annual British Grand Prix draws huge crowds and remains a big spectacle on the UK sporting calendar. The success of British driver Lewis Hamilton over the past 15 years or so has also driven the sport forward.
Verstappen Looking for Three World Titles
Verstappen has taken Formula One by storm in recent seasons. The Red Bull driver edged out Hamilton in one of the most thrilling title races ever to get his hands on the trophy in 2021. As reported on the official F1 website, it went to the wire, with Verstappen nicking the title on the final lap.
Instead of resting on his laurels, the No. 33 kicked on and dominated the sport in 2022. Verstappen had a disappointing opening round alongside teammate Sergio Perez, as both had to retire from the Bahrain Grand Prix due to car issues.
He won the next race in Saudi Arabia before another retirement in Australia. Things were sorted and it was plain sailing for Red Bull and Verstappen after that, as the world champion went on to win a staggering 14 of the 19 rounds to win the World Drivers’ Championship with ease.
Looking at the final standings on Motorsport, Verstappen ended with a whopping 454 points to his name, finishing 146 points above runner-up Charles Leclerc. Verstappen won the title and Perez finished third, meaning Red Bull Racing won the World Constructors’ Championship with 759 points.
Team debut 👉 2022 🦁 pic.twitter.com/dzhFSGXRHx
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 23, 2023
Verstappen heads into the new season as the clear favorite to add another world title to his name. Going by the latest odds, Verstappen is available at -138.
Will Hamilton Get Back to His Best?
Lewis Hamilton had a disappointing 2022 season by his high standards. The seven-time world champion was well off the pace in the title battle, finishing down in sixth on 240 points.
The Stevenage-born ace is entering the final stages of his incredible career, but he heads into the 2023 season as the second favorite (+300) to win the world title. Hamilton is currently level on seven championships with the great Michael Schumacher. He is the record Grand Prix winner and still has a lot to offer before calling it a day.
In equal machinery, who will you bet your money on? 🧐
— Sportskeeda F1 (@SportskeedaF1) January 18, 2023
❤️ like for Max
🔁 RT for Lewis #F1 #MaxVerstappen #lewishamilton pic.twitter.com/cKNiFmH1AB
The Formula One title race could be a thrilling one this year, with the likes of Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, and George Russell set to battle it out for the biggest prize on offer.
