Karun Chandhok believes two drivers on the current grid could join the list of champions driving at present
Sky Sports F1 expert Karun Chandhok has named two drivers as world champions ‘in waiting’ on the current F1 grid.
Currently, there are three world champions in the field as we head into 2023.
Lewis Hamilton has won seven world titles, Fernando Alonso has won two and, similarly, defending world champion Max Verstappen has also won two.
Last year, of course, we had four champions on the grid with Sebastian Vettel and his four titles but the German has since retired from the sport, and so we’re down to three for 2023.
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Who the next champion aside from these three is is a topic of great debate and interest, then, with some seriously talented drivers all just itching to be in a car capable enough of winning the crown.
This year, the hope is that Ferrari and Mercedes can be in the battle alongside Red Bull for the championship, to really add some excitement, and of course their respective drivers will be wishing that that is going to be the case as well.
Indeed, with that said, that could pave the way for one of two ‘champions in waiting’ that Karun Chandhok believes are on the grid heading into 2023 – George Russell and Charles Leclerc:
“You’ve got your A-plus list of Fernando, Lewis and Max as your current world champions on the grid,” the ex-F1 driver told Give Me Sport.
“The difference with them is that you can count on them to deliver every single time. They’ve got this physical and mental ability combined with their talent and experience to, in any weather, any circumstances, any conditions, just deliver and maximise the car.
“Then you’ve got your A group, which is [Charles] Leclerc and George who are probably your two champions in waiting. They genuinely have got the talent, no question about it. They have got the speed, they’ve got brilliant qualifying ability. But there’s the odd weekend where they’re not quite there. You look at George in Canada, for example, last year where Lewis was comprehensively quicker than him in the race – there’s those odd weekends.
“And then you’ve got your sort of next group which is Carlos [Sainz,] Checo [Perez,] Lando [Norris.] In Lando’s case, he is unproven in a top car and maybe he is in a George and Leclerc group, but we haven’t seen him right in a top car yet.”
Both Russell and Leclerc are race winners in F1 with the Briton getting his first for Mercedes last year in Brazil and the Ferrari driver notching a handful since his first victory back in 2019 at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The two of them impressed greatly in junior formulae as they won titles along the way and both seem to have the natural talent and work ethic that you need to win world titles.
Both, though, are not in a Red Bull car this season and they will need to overcome that challenge along with their teams if this is their year to be crowned F1 champion.
Watch all 23 races of the 2023 F1 season exclusively live on Sky Sports F1 and NOW
You can keep up to date with all the latest F1 news, rumours and results right here at Give Me Sport.
F1: ‘Two champions in waiting’ behind Hamilton, Alonso and Verstappen
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