Hamilton concerned Red Bull 'hasn't touched' F1 car since August.
The downbeat seven-time world champion reckoned the scale of Red Bull’s dominance, given it has not brought a performance upgrade since the Dutch GP in last August, should be a “concern”.
27th November 2023, 09:25
AUTHORMatt Kew
Motorsport.com

Lewis Hamilton is ‘concerned’ about the size of the recovery facing Mercedes given Red Bull dominated Formula 1’s 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix despite not ‘touching the car since August'.

“Not great,” he said of his mood. “I just finished ninth; two really bad races [seventh in Las Vegas]. Red Bull won by 17 seconds and have not touched the car since August. So, you can pretty much guess where they're going to be next year… I was just slow throughout the race.”

Addressing the prospect of Mercedes overcoming its ground-effects slump to take the fight to rival Red Bull next season, Hamilton added: “[Red Bull] haven't even developed their car since August; it’s definitely a concern. But we've learned a lot about the car and it's just down to the team now and they know what they need to do. Whether or not we'll get there, we'll see.”

‘Red Bull 'hasn't touched' F1 car since August’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...gust/10552496/


Mercedes and Hamilton admit there is 'Everest to climb' to catch Red Bull next year.
27th November 2023, 10:00
BYRICHARD NEWMAN
TNT Sports

Red Bull are so far ahead that the rest of the Formula One teams have a “Mount Everest to climb” to catch up with them in 2024, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has warned there is a “Mount Everest to climb in order to catch up with Red Bull” in the 2024 Formula One season.

“There is a Mount Everest to climb in order to catch up with Red Bull,” Wolff said after the race. “Red Bull started the new regulations in 2022 with a massive advantage and they have been able to maintain it. We have a lot of respect for their achievements, from the engineering side, and the driver. Beating them under the current regulations is against the odds.”

Looking ahead to 2024, Hamilton was downbeat about Mercedes’ chances, even though the team are going through a complete redesign for the next campaign. “Red Bull won by 17 seconds and they have not touched the car since August or July,” Hamilton said. “So you can pretty much guess where they’re going to be next year. It’s not been a great year in general so there’s not a lot to take from it.”

‘A Mount Everest to climb’;

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/formula-...17/story.shtml


F1 2023 season report card: Red Bull flourish while Mercedes flounder
27th November 2023.09:50
Kieran Jackson, Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

So that’s that. 22 and out for Formula 1 in 2023. A season dominated, in all but one race, by Max Verstappen and Red Bull. Christian Horner’s team won 21 of the 22 races, with Verstappen claiming his record-extending 19th victory in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. It has been a near-faultless campaign, with the team securing their first ever one-two in the drivers’ championship too thanks to Sergio Perez’s runner-up spot.

But what about Mercedes and Ferrari, trailing in their wake? Aston Martin and McLaren were in the mix up top at different points of the season – while Williams took big steps in their first year under James Vowles. From 10th in the final 2023 constructors’ standings to first, we hand out the report cards to all 10 teams after another F1 season comes to a close.

‘Report card’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-...-b2453845.html


The incredible records set by Max Verstappen in most dominant F1 season ever
27 Nov 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen capped off the most dominant season in F1 history with a comfortable victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It marked the Red Bull driver’s 19th win in 22 races at the end of a season in which the Dutchman claimed his third consecutive championship crown.

Verstappen broke several records during an astonishing campaign. Here are all of them…
Wins: 19 (from 22 races)
Best win percentage: 86.36% (breaking Alberto Ascari’s record that stood since 1952)
Most consecutive wins: 10
Podiums: 21 (out of 22)
Points: 575 (out of 620 - 92.7% of possible points)
Laps led: 1003 (out of 1383)
Points gap to P2: 290 points

‘Incredible records set by Max Verstappen’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104218...er?language=en


Alain Prost in awe of Verstappen’s record-breaking F1 season
27 Nov 2023, 08:35
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Alain Prost, a revered name in the annals of Formula 1, has expressed admiration for Max Verstappen’s remarkable dominance in the 2023 season. Prost, known for his own era of supremacy alongside Ayrton Senna at McLaren, watched Verstappen and Red Bull rewrite history with an unprecedented 95.5 percent winning rate – 21 wins out of 22 races.

Prost, a quadruple world champion, viewed the 2023 season through the lens of a fan, detached from team affiliations. He recognized the criticism of a single team and driver’s dominance but chose to see it as a testament to Red Bull and Verstappen’s hard work. “When someone dominates like that, it’s the sum of the work that is necessary that you are seeing. And all you can say is congratulations,” Prost remarked.

“If you want to get to that level, you have to work better. I understand if it is frustrating at times, but on a personal level I thought it was great.” Regarding Verstappen, Prost believes the young Dutch driver’s unique blend of dedication, passion, and evolving skill sets him apart. “Max is still very young, but the focus he had on his career from the start and the passion for motorsport are very important,” Prost observed. He highlighted Verstappen’s candid nature and commitment to the sport, factors that contribute to his ongoing success and development as a formidable racer in Formula 1.

‘Alain Prost in awe’;

https://grandpx.news/alain-prost-in-...ing-f1-season/


Max Verstappen and his girlfriend Kelly Piquet share a victory kiss after he wins the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Published: 08:41, 27 November 2023
By Lily Jobson For Mailonline
Mail Online

Max Verstappen shared a victory kiss with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet after winning the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday. The Belgium-Dutch native, 26, completed a record-breaking season after winning an incredible 19th win from 22 races at the action-packed Red Bull race.

And to celebrate his astounding efforts that will go down in history, his model girlfriend, 34, was there to witness his triumph. The couple, who went public with their relationship on New Year's Day in 2021, looked happier than ever. The couple were also snapped seconds after the race finished, as Kelly could be seen reaching over the stands to congratulate Max with a kiss.

The Brazilian model looked sensational in a brown-tied corset top and slipped into a chic pair of white trousers. Max couldn't wipe the smile off his face after bagging another victory to add to his list of wins.

‘Sharing a victory kiss’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...rand-Prix.html