The 2023 Method One World Championship is simply numerous weeks away, and pleasure has already reached a fever pitch. The brand new marketing campaign will get underway on March fifth in Bahrain, the circuit which noticed Ferrari choose up their first one-two end because the Singapore Grand Prix in 2019. And they’re amongst the favourites for victory once more this time period.
Followers of the game will even be hoping to see a bounce again from Mercedes subsequent season. At first of the season, the Silver Arrows had been one second per lap off the tempo of the main Purple Bulls and Ferraris, and though they narrowed that hole considerably because the season progressed, they had been nonetheless a distant third-best.
Additionally, the 2022 marketing campaign was the primary season in Lewis Hamilton’s illustrious profession the place he didn’t choose up no less than one win, and his followers will likely be hoping to see him return to the title battle subsequent season.
One man was head and shoulders above the remainder final 12 months, and that was Max Verstappen. The Flying Dutchman loved a record-breaking marketing campaign and romped to a second consecutive World Championship. On-line sportsbook Bodog, which offers F1 betting and outrights, in addition to well-known on line casino video games like Bodog’s Blackjack, have made ‘Tremendous Max’ the odds-on favorite to make it three titles on the spin this time period.
Final season, Ferrari was anticipated to take the battle to Verstappen and his Purple Bull crew; nevertheless, numerous poor selections from the pit wall value lead driver Charles Leclerc numerous victories. As such, the 2023 season marks 15 years since one in every of their drivers final gained the World Championship. Let’s flip the clock again to that championship victory in 2017.
Kimi Räikkönen’s Most interesting Hour
The 2007 Method One season was one for the ages. It was a 12 months of thrilling races, surprising winners, and rivals that pushed one another to their limits. The marketing campaign will at all times be remembered for Finland’s Kimi Räikkönen, who stormed to his first championship win after popping out on high in an extremely tight race in opposition to Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
The Iceman hadn’t led the Championship at any level all year long, regardless of choosing up 5 races earlier than his championship-clinching victory within the ultimate race in Brazil. Räikkönen put collectively a number of spectacular performances all year long that allowed him to remain in rivalry till the tip, the place three victories within the ultimate 4 races allowed him to emerge victorious by only one level forward of the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
Lewis Hamilton’s Spectacular Rookie Season
Lewis Hamilton’s participation was much more spectacular given the truth that 2007 was the 12 months that the British celebrity burst onto the scene together with his first skilled racing crew McLaren-Mercedes. His excellent efficiency all through his rookie 12 months noticed him end second in general standings and made him a family title the world over in a single day.
The Englishman picked up third place on his debut in Australia earlier than securing 4 consecutive second-place finishes. Again-to-back victories in Canada and the USA of America would see him climb to the highest of the championship standings, forward of teammate Fernando Alonso, which might spark a rivalry not like something we had seen earlier than.
The rivalry would attain its boiling level on the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Alonso deliberately hindering Hamilton’s qualifying lap, ensuing within the Brit lacking out on pole place. That was the tip of the iceberg, and the aftermath in Budapest would outcome within the Spanish double world champion spilling McLaren’s secrets and techniques, ensuing within the Spygate scandal.
The Epic Ultimate Two Races in China & Brazil
The final two races of the season had been particularly dramatic. It appeared that Hamilton had the title wrapped up in Shanghai. He was main the race from Räikkönen in altering situations; nevertheless, because the monitor started to dry out, he misplaced his result in the Finn.
As he entered the pitlane to field for recent tyres, he would seaside his McLaren within the gravel entice and retire from the race, his first season retirement. Räikkönen would go on to seal the victory, with Alonso ending second and organising one ultimate battle between the trio in Brazil.
Hamilton wanted to complete third to ensure the championship no matter how his two rivals completed, and he regarded on track for that when he certified in second behind Räikkönen. Nevertheless, on the opening lap of the race, Hamilton would endure from a gearbox drawback that left him plumb final. He would get well to seventh, however that wasn’t sufficient to safe the championship.
Räikkönen was now within the field seat for the championship. He was main the race, and his teammate Felipe Massa was behind him, with Alonso in third. The Spanish title contender wanted to overhaul Massa to safe the title; nevertheless, he couldn’t, leaving the Iceman to rejoice his first and solely Method One World Championship.
