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Lewis Hamilton is up there as arguably the most successful driver in Formula One history. The Brit has been world champion seven times. However, after watching Max Verstappen dominate last year, can the Mercedes man win back his world crown in 2023?

Verstappen Aiming for a Third Title

Naturally, Verstappen heads into the new season as the favorite to retain the championship trophy. The Red Bull driver was utterly dominant in 2022, and the Belgian-Dutch ace will no doubt take some stopping in 2023. Looking at the latest online betting odds, Verstappen is priced at 4/5. He is certainly the man to beat this year.

Despite being well off the pace last season, Hamilton starts the new year as the second favorite with the bookies. Before round one, the Englishman is available at 3/1 to lift the trophy for an eighth time. Hamilton is currently level with the great Michael Schumacher on seven world titles each. Hamilton will move ahead and become the record world champion with just one more championship trophy.

Can Hamilton Build on Last Year’s Finish and Challenge in 2023?

After more regulation changes pre-season, Hamilton started with a third place in Bahrain. However, he was not on the podium again until the ninth round in Canada, although he had a strong finish to his season to restore some pride, securing two more third places in Great Britain and Austria before back-to-back second positions in France and Hungary.

Hamilton finished in sixth place in the world standings with 240 points to his name. He went wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen for the title in 2021 but finished a whopping 214 points behind the Red Bull man last year.

Hamilton is the most experienced driver out there these days, and the Brit is certainly capable of clawing back Verstappen in 2023. There were positive signs at the end of last year, with Hamilton and his car working in tandem to pick up some good results late on. The seven-time world champion will be desperate to get off to a positive start this time around.

2023, we're going all-in. 🤍💚 15.02.23 W14 E PERFORMANCE Launch 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/BixO716ymj
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) January 12, 2023

Hamilton failed to win a race last year, but the Stevenage-born star has won over 100 Grands Prix since his debut at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix. His last victory was in Saudi Arabia back in December 2021.

Exciting Year Ahead

This year, there will be 23 Grands Prix across the world packed in from March to November. The action gets underway at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir in early March before heading to Jeddah a couple of weeks later.

Locked in 🔒

The 2023 F1 calendar will feature 23 races#F1 pic.twitter.com/p8PW8FFIO2
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 17, 2023

Hamilton’s home Grand Prix at the famous Silverstone Circuit will be held in July. Hamilton is already the most successful driver in British Grand Prix history, winning on home ground on eight occasions since 2008.

At 38, Hamilton has all the experience in the world. He is undeniably coming to the latter stages of his career, but has the No. 44 got one more world title in him before hanging up the racing gloves?