World Champion Max Verstappen says he expects a closer championship battle in 2023, as other teams get to grips with the new generation of F1. After two retirements in the first three races of 2022 put Verstappen and Red Bull on the back foot, the Dutchman and his team came roaring back with a vengeance, with Verstappen winning a record 15 Grands Prix in a single season, and claiming his second Drivers' Championship with four races to spare. Speaking after yet another dominant win in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen acknowledged Red Bull's superiority over the whole of 2022, but cautioned that other teams would close the gap on the drinks-backed outfit. "I do think it will be closer," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com. "People are understanding the cars a lot more, and over time, all the teams will just edge closer. "From our side, it's been a really positive weekend, so that's really encouraging also for next year. "But we also know now, over the winter, we really have to keep pushing and keep trying to find performance and understand the tyres even more, because the tyres will change a bit for next year. So, let's see how we are going to manage all of that."
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