The number seven seems to be the insurmountable obstacle for every driver of four wheels. In Nascar there are three drivers who hold seven titles, but none has ever gone beyond that. In IndyCar the record is even six. In Formula 1 however, Hamilton was the only one to replicate Kayser's record, but without surpassing it. Lewis dreams of eighth gold, but the Mercedes era is over, and the impression is that the Englishman will not have an easy time trying to overtake Schumi.
Hamilton and 2022, what a nightmare
The Stevenage driver and his team had predicted fire and flames after the abuse in Abu Dhabi. Rivals were warned, e not a few feared the continuation of the Mercedes era, especially after the presentation of a single-seater with alien lines in Bahrain. On the other hand, however, the calculations of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge software are not always able to predict the future. The W13 is Brakley's Caporetto, and the number 44 suffered the backlash, having, together with Russell, to drive for 22 races and 3 sprints a dancing car that shone once yes and ten no.
Many patches, one success
Lewis offered to play the mobile construction site early in the season. the goal: to try to understand what was wrong with the black swan of the Star and make corrections. The hard work paid off, as the car showed much better shape in the second part of the season. Lewis' sacrifice, however, paved the way for Russell to grind out more points. The seven-time world champion finished sixth in the championship, Russell fourth.
Hamilton probably dreamed of victory to maintain his very personal record of at least one success per season. to snatch a pole position, a sprint win, and a victory in a normal raceHowever, it was not Lewis. The aggressive young man in the garage next door was not long in coming, and if Mercedes were to bring a car worthy of the 2023 in 44, the latter would already be aware of not having an easy life.

The car is new, but the opponents are formidable
The engine of the W14 has already sung, and from the rumors circulating in the paddock, it seems that the Star will not follow the lines drawn by Red Bull and Ferrari. The new project certainly does not start a year late, but certainly not even on a par with the two sworn rivals. If aerodynamics is a mystery, we know the engine already thanks to the freezing regulations. Silver PU is the most reliable, but no longer the leader in power. To date, Red Bull has proven to have the best compromise between power and reliability, and if, as it seems, Ferrari had to solve the smoking whims of its engine, Mercedes will have to deal with two opponents, on paper, really fast.
Red Bull it comes from rebirth which gave her two drivers' titles and one constructors' title. Ferrari she came back up, but without yet having the personality to seriously intimidate opponents. The team principal changed in Maranello, and if Vasseur makes the necessary corrections, the Scuderia may not be content to stand by for yet another year. The three-way fight doesn't seem so unlikely. It's unlikely that two cars in a row are wrong in Brakley, and if they pocket the eight ball, Hamilton won't be long in attempting the same feat.
Hamilton and Wolff: uninspiring words or strategy?
Lewis has a year left before his contract expires, which it will evaporate at the end of 2023. What will happen next is unknown, but what is certain is that English is already of a certain age, e the time available to return to the roof of the world is scarce. To Bild's microphones, the EPTA champion declared: "For me motorsport is not the most important thing. When I was a kid maybe it was. Probably also when I entered F1, but since I turned 30 I have understood that it is important to have memories with friends and family. Now, if at first glance the champion seems less ambitious, it's good to remember that since he's 30, he's won five titles. While the hunger for irises appears to be in short supply, it's likely that if the car is up to par, Lewis will be the same as ever.
Regarding the medium, expressed Team Principal Toto Wolff, host of the Beyond the grid podcast: “I always see the glass as half empty. Actually, if you want to be logical, Red Bull has been very dominant during the season, otherwise they wouldn't have won 17 races. It will be very difficult to have a faster development path than theirs and that of Ferrari". In short, Lewis is heading towards an apparently difficult 2023, but if there is one thing for sure, it is that English still has all the credentials to get around the announced obstacles… The rest is up to the team.
SOURCE: Picture; Beyond the grid podcasts