MIND THE GAP

Hamilton is unsure about catching Max next season

- Simon Cass

LEWIS HAMILTON'S sense of disappointment was nowhere near the level he suffered after losing the world title on the final lap in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

But after spending the season being annihilated by the combined powers of Max Verstappen and Red Bull, a downhearted Hamilton's assessment of 2023 was easy to understand.

What can he take from a campaign where he finished a whopping 341 points adrift of the man who ripped the title from his hands two years ago? "Not too much," said the seven-time world champion. "The fact I survived it. Probably that's about it."