McLaren CEO Zak Brown has speculated on the potential resurgence of Lewis Hamilton, foreseeing a renewed challenge against Max Verstappen for the drivers' championship.
While Red Bull are poised for pre-season testing with an even further improved car, there's a window for rivals to catch up, and Brown sees Mercedes and Ferrari as contenders capable of narrowing the gap.
Brown: It's tough and competitive
The prospect of Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, emerging as a title challenger would be a surprising twist, considering Mercedes' recent position as the inconsistent second-best.
However, Brown draws parallels to McLaren's own impressive strides in the previous year, stressing the potential for significant improvements in a short timeframe.
“At the same time, Mercedes, Ferrari, these teams have everything they need and they’re great teams," he told Speedcafe.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we were sitting here and all of a sudden Mercedes was back to Lewis [Hamilton] winning his eighth championship.