THE keyword for the 2023 season is stability, with only a few changes to the driver lineups further down the grid. But there are regulation changes to deal with, too.
An extra race bumps the calendar up to 23 rounds, while two events will only have 11 sets of Pirelli tyres available to drivers - down from the usual 13- in an effort to boost sustainability.
Six rounds feature a Saturday sprint event to determine Sunday's grid, up from three last year. The final big change is a reduction in the budget cap, down from $142.5 million (£119m) to 'only' $135m (£113m).
Red Bull
Engine RBPT Honda
Races 348 Wins 92
Titles 5 Last year 1st
REIGNING champion Red Bull adapted to the dramatic rule changes introduced for 2022 better than any other team. While others struggled to prevent extreme porpoising of their cars, the RB18 looked smooth and capable. Once a little excess weight was trimmed midseason, the team - and particularly Max Verstappen - were unstoppable.
The Dutchman took a stunning 15 race wins and teammate Sergio Perez scored another two to fend off initial challenges from Ferrari, then a late-season charge from Mercedes, to absolutely dominate the year. It didn't seem to matter where on the grid that Max started last year, his rapid pace meant he was always in with a chance of victory by the end of the race.
Red Bull is likely to mature an already proven concept on-track, and the only question is whether limited testing time in the wind tunnel - a punishment for breaching the sport's cost cap limits in 2021 - and a focus on the team's new 2026 partnership with Ford will harm the car's development through the year.
Ferrari
This story is from the March 01, 2023 edition of Auto Express.
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This story is from the March 01, 2023 edition of Auto Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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