Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton is ‘not his only threat as he goes for a third consecutive championship title… with the Dutchman naming George Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Levlerc’ as rivals
- Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton is not the only driver who will challenge him
- He named George Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Levlerc as title contenders
- The 25-year-old Dutch F1 driver won a record-breaking 15 races last season
Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton is not the only driver who could challenge him for the Formula 1 title and admits he ‘can’t afford to make big mistakes’ during the 2023 season.
Verstappen won a record-breaking 15 races last season to claim the title and surpass the previous record of 13, held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
However, the two-time world champion expects a more competitive campaign this year and has named George Russell, Lando Norris and Charles Levlerc as potential contenders for the championship.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Verstappen said: ‘He has been one of the greatest drivers ever in the sport, so for sure if he has the car to do it, he can fight for the title again,’ said Hamilton’s Verstappen.
He added: ‘But the same goes for George [Russell, Hamilton’s team-mate]. the same with Charles [Leclerc, Ferrari]same with Lando [Norris, McLaren] – if you give them a car capable of winning a championship, they will.
Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton is not the only driver who could challenge him for the title
Verstappen names Hamilton (left), George Russell (right), Lando Norris and Charles Levlerc as potential contenders for the championship
‘But it’s also about when you have a car then comes the pressure that you can’t afford big mistakes. That’s a bit of a different pressure you have but I’m confident when these guys get on a roll like anything is possible, they all have the talent to do that.’
The 2023 season is due to kick-off on the first Sunday of March, with the Bahrain Grand Prix officially kicking off the new campaign.
Verstappen is looking to win his third consecutive championship title following victories in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
