Jenson Button is expecting an "epic" 2023 season in Formula 1 as the sport enters the second season with its current technical rules.
In recent seasons, the constructors' championship has rarely been a close-run affair. Red Bull ran away with the title this year as Ferrari's challenge spluttered and stalled while, during the Hybrid Era which began in 2014, Mercedes were the undisputed kings of the sport.
The Silver Arrows won by a margin of more than 250 points in four of the seasons between 2014 and 2020 and all of them by at least 83. The only season in which the constructors' title race has gone down to the final race, out of the last nine, was in 2021 when Mercedes held on despite Max Verstappen pipping Lewis Hamilton to the drivers' crown.
Next season will be the second with the current technical rules, which were brought in to promote closer racing. Mercedes adapted poorly last year while Red Bull and Ferrari came flying out of the traps, in terms of car performance.
The teams now have a season of experience under their belts. That, along with the budget cap and Red Bull's significantly reduced wind tunnel testing time over the next 12 months, means Button has plenty of reason to hope for a tight three-way battle next year.
"It's going to take a couple of years," the 2009 drivers' champion told Sky Sports' Any Driven Monday programme. "Even with the cost cap, for the teams that are closer to the rear to really fight at the front, but it's possible, definitely. There's no reason why they can't, especially if they have the right personnel and the right driver line-up. Anything is possible.
"Three teams would be mega. We all love it when there are more teams involved. When it's two drivers in the same team fighting for a championship, yeah, it's fine if the racing is good. But we like other teams.
"We love the teams fighting as well as the drivers. I loved that fight between Toto [Wolff] and Christian [Horner] off-track as well as the action on-track. The last time we had three teams was back in 2010, where it was McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull all fighting for the world championship. Bring it on. I think we'll have an epic season next year."
Despite the Silver Arrows' struggles this year, Mercedes are still the team Red Bull is most worried about ahead of 2023. Team adviser Helmut Marko recently declared they are "definitely" the team most likely to threaten Red Bull, adding: "They are the more stable team. And they have Hamilton."
