Verstappen favorite for world title: 'He will be stronger than ever'

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are still recovering from the blistering season they experienced in 2021. However, in two and a half months the first race is already on the program, so Lawrence Barretto on the official website of Formula 1 looks ahead to the season.

It doesn't seem to be possible to get any more exciting than last season. Verstappen and Hamilton kept it exciting until the last race in Abu Dhabi, where the Dutchman passed his competitor on the last lap to take the world title. However, Barretto expects the battle to be even greater in 2022, leaving the public the big winner.

"Fresh from his maiden world title, the adaptable Verstappen will be stronger than ever this year," the journalist writes. "And is set to renew his fascinating duel with Hamilton, the most successful driver this sport has ever seen. They’ll fill the top two spots in the championship come the season’s end, after yet another titanic battle."

Mercedes and Red Bull appear to be keeping level

With the new regulations, several teams seem to be able to lay claim to the front positions in the driver's field. For example, expectations are high at McLaren and Ferrari, while Alpine is also hoping for a good car. However, Barretto does not expect them to close the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull Racing in 2022 just yet.