Hamilton warns Verstappen: 'I know how hard it is to stay at the top'

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes were relentlessly reminded in the 2022 Formula 1 season what it feels like to lose. Meanwhile, it was Max Verstappen who captured his second world title in a row, but Hamilton warns that staying at the top once it is achieved is not so easy.

Defeat in Abu Dhabi in 2021 brought an end to a long run of world titles for Mercedes and Hamilton. Even though the constructors' title still went to the German racecourse, the team experienced that as cold comfort. This was followed by Mercedes' worst season since before the introduction of hybrid engines.

Hamilton, however, refuses to see last season as a disappointment and has instead come to realise that he has come to see victories as normal. "We had so many successes before that it felt a little empty. We won, but we had expected it. That's weird, because it's actually such a great thing," the Mercedes driver told Bild.

At the same time, therein lies hidden a disguised warning for Verstappen. "I know how hard it is to be at the top and stay there," says the Briton. His goal, therefore, is to get back on top with Mercedes and challenge Red Bull Racing and Ferrari in 2023.

Hamilton finished sixth in the 2022 F1 standings and had to watch Verstappen capture a second consecutive title, while the Brit himself is still chasing the record of eight world titles. Currently, he still shares the record for most titles with Michael Schumacher.