McLaren team principal Andrea Stella is targeting a top-four finish in the 2023 Formula One season with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri taking up their two seats.

Piastri has replaced fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren, who launched their new MCL60 car at the team's factory in Woking on Monday.

McLaren finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship last year, with Norris gaining 122 of their 159 points. Rivals Alpine ranked fourth with 173 points.

The MCL60, named to mark 60 years since Bruce McLaren founded the team, is an evolution on last year's MCL36.

"I think it's fair to say that over the course of the season we would like to establish ourselves as part of the top four," said Stella, who has replaced Andreas Seidl.

"We know realistically with the top-three teams, this may mean potentially being the fourth best car over the course of the season.

"We are realistic in the very short term, there's good developments already in the pipeline that should land trackside very soon in the season and should allow us to take a decent step forward.

"We are not naive, we know that pretty much every team will be saying the same, 'we have good developments' and so on. Like I said, we also have more high level developments going on in the team."

Stella added that some of the car's potential may not be unlocked until the later in the season due to some areas of development not being realized until late in the process.

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali says Andretti's approach to gaining access to the grid is "not smart", adding other teams hold an interest in joining.

Andretti, partnering with General Motors brand Cadillac, expressed their desire to become F1's 11th team last month, though their potential addition would not occur until 2026 at the earliest.

The response of other F1 teams to Andretti's announcement was lukewarm, with the team's desire to base themselves within the United States – rather than in Europe alongside the rest of the sport – sparking concerns. 

Team owner Michael Andretti has been vocal in his bid to join the sport, accusing existing teams of "greed" over an apparent unwillingness to further split existing prize funds.

F1 boss Domenicali is not convinced those tactics will reap rewards, telling Sky Sports: "First of all, we are very welcoming of everyone that is bringing value to the racing.

"I think we need to respect everyone. There are people like Michael Andretti being very vocal about their will to enter Formula One.

"But in my view [it is] not smart to say that teams are greedy.

"There are others that are much less vocal that would like to come into Formula One, so there is a process to respect and we will make sure together with the FIA that the process will be respected."

Andretti's bid for entry immediately attracted support from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, though he has since stepped away from the day-to-day supervision of F1 after a series of conflicts with teams. 

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has stepped back from overseeing the day-to-day running of Formula One.

Ben Sulayem's stint as FIA president, a role to which he was elected in December 2021, has seen him come into conflict with F1 and its teams on several occasions. 

The 61-year-old was criticised after the FIA delayed an agreement to increase the number of sprint races from three to six for the 2023 season, as well as for the governing body's push to ban drivers from wearing jewellery during races.

In January, Ben Sulayem became embroiled in a row with F1 owners Liberty Media over the competition's commercial rights, while historic sexist comments made by the FIA president were also reported last month.

In a widely reported letter to the 10 F1 teams, Ben Sulayem said he will now focus purely on "strategic matters", with director of single-seater racing Nikolas Tombazis placed in charge of "day-to-day" operations.

An FIA statement said the move from Ben Sulayem – who made regular podium appearances last season – was a planned one.

"The president's manifesto clearly set out this plan before he was elected – it pledged 'the appointment of an FIA CEO to provide an integrated and aligned operation', as well as to 'introduce a revised governance framework' under 'a leadership team focused on transparency, democracy, and growth'," the statement read.

"The FIA president has a wide remit that covers the breadth of global motorsport and mobility, and now that the structural reorganisation in Formula One is complete, this is a natural next step."

Valtteri Bottas believes Alfa Romeo must "aim for better" this year in Formula One, as the team look to put a disappointing 2022 season behind them.

The former Mercedes driver made the move to the Italian constructor last year after several successful years in the sport, but struggled to deliver on the track.

Though he picked up a number of sturdy finishes, the Finn failed to notch a podium and finished 10th overall, while team-mate Zhou Guanyu came home in 18th.

Speaking at the launch of their new C43 car, though, Bottas is looking to build on a sixth-place constructors' championship finish last term in his sophomore season with the team.

"We need to achieve more, it's simple as that," he said. 

"We always need to aim for better, aim for higher, the whole team, and myself included.

"We always need to keep improving, that's what drives us, so, [we are] expecting better consistency, more points, better results. How to get there, that’s the tricky bit."

After several years near the top of the sport with Mercedes, Bottas acknowledged Alfa Romeo presented a different set of challenges 

"It's definitely been interesting," he added. "In this team, I feel like my role has been very different to what I've ever had, really, in Formula One.

"It's a really open situation in the team and I love to know always as much as I can. 

"The development of the car balance throughout the whole of last year has gone into the right direction.

"That work continues, and we'll see with this new car. I think hopefully everything is in an even better place in those situations, and we [will] keep working hard."

Rookie driver Logan Sargeant is "super motivated" to grasp his first Formula One opportunity in Williams' new FW45 challenger car.

Sargeant is gearing up for his maiden F1 season after replacing the axed Nicholas Latifi.

The 22-year-old American was fast-tracked to become Alex Albon's team-mate.

Williams finished bottom of the constructor standings with only eight points in 2022, but will start a new era with a rookie driver and team principal in the form of Sargeant and James Vowles.

The team on Monday unveiled the matte livery that will adorn their FW45 challenger, with Mercedes providing the power for a 10th consecutive season, and Sargeant is raring to go.

He said: "I'm really excited for the season to get started after what, for me, feels like a long winter!

"I'm super motivated and we've put a lot of hard work in. The car is looking amazing and it shows the huge effort the team has put in the off-season, so I'm looking forward to getting started at Silverstone before heading out to Bahrain."

Albon said: "The team has worked really hard last year and over the winter to address some key areas in our car, putting in the work to try and maximise what we get out of the car for 2023, so I'm looking forward to seeing what the FW45 can do."

Vowles will begin his new role on February 20, three days before the drivers begin 2023 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen expects Lewis Hamilton to challenge him for the title next year "if he has the car to do it".

Hamilton, a seven-time drivers' championship winner, was blighted by car issues with Mercedes last season as he failed to win a race for the first time in his career.

Red Bull star Verstappen tallied a record-breaking 15 wins to finish 146 points ahead of closest rival Charles Leclerc in a dominant title-winning 2022 campaign.

But the Dutchman does not envisage a third straight F1 crown coming with such relative ease in 2023.

"He's been one of the greatest drivers ever in the sport, so for sure if he has the car to do it, he can fight for the title again," Verstappen told Sky Sports of Hamilton.

He added: "But that's the same for George [Russell], it's the same for Charles, it's the same for Lando [Norris] – if you give them the car that's capable of winning the championship, they can.

"But it's also about when you have the car then the pressure comes you cannot afford big mistakes.

"That's a bit of a different pressure you have but I'm confident once these guys get onto a roll like that it is all possible, they all have talent to do so."

Red Bull cruised to the constructors' championship last year, winning the title for the first time since 2013.

However, the team have been hit with wind tunnel testing restrictions and CFD limitations after they were judged to have breached financial regulations.

The full impact of those punishments is unclear but a reduction in time allowed in the wind tunnel could lead Red Bull to fall behind their rivals in aerodynamic developments.

"You always try to go for it, but I don't know if we're going to be good enough," Verstappen added.

"Of course as a team we believe we are, we are very motivated, we come off the back of a very strong year and we are working flat out to try and achieve that."

Ford will return to F1 this year for the first time since 2004 and partner with Red Bull from 2026.

Verstappen cannot wait for the partnership after seeing success in a collaboration with Honda, having also witnessed first-hand the struggles with the Renault combination.

"I signed twice without actually fully knowing what was coming in terms of engines, and people said maybe that's a crazy thing to do," he continued.

"I believed in the project and I believed that everyone involved would make the right decisions for the team.

"The first one they made going with Honda, I think that worked out really well and now for the future this is the next step – Ford in 2026 – and I believe in it.

"If we all believe in it, I'm sure we can create something really cool."

Ford will return to Formula One for the first time since 2004 and partner with Red Bull from 2026.

Red Bull revealed their RB19 car for the 2023 season at a launch event in New York City on Friday, with reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen, team-mate Sergio Perez and team principal Christian Horner in attendance.

Ford, meanwhile, will return to F1 after a 22-year absence, working with Red Bull to build a power unit for F1's next engine regulations.

"We are mavericks, we are pushing the boundaries. We are looking forward to this busy season in 2023," said Horner, whose team took the constructors' title off Mercedes last year, as well as seeing Verstappen win for a second straight year.

"It is going to be an incredible season; our rivals for sure haven't stood still. Ferrari are going to be competitive, Mercedes are going to be there; there are some other teams that could make some big progress as well.

"In Bahrain, in a couple of weeks' time, we will get to see everyone's car and see if we have missed something, have we not.

"There is going to be highs and lows along the way, but I think we are in a good place. We are going to have to be at the top of our game this season."

Of Red Bull's partnership with Ford, Horner added: "To welcome the Ford brand back into Formula One, to have the Red Bull Ford powertrain is going to be very exciting.

"There was a natural synergy between the two companies, it was an easy deal – 2026 seems like a long way away, but in the engine world, it is tomorrow.

"We have recruited some incredible talent and have some great people in the team.  We are really excited about what we can achieve."

Ford's involvement in F1 began in the 1960s with a long-standing partnership with British firm Cosworth.

They are the third-most successful engine manufacturer in the history of F1, having played a part in winning 10 constructors' championships and 13 drivers' championships.

Ford chief executive Jim Farley said: "We don't want to make generic cars, faceless vehicles; we want vehicles with an attitude – this team represents that."

Horner said: "It's a huge era for the team. As Formula One moves to pretty much a 50-50 split between hybridisation and combustion power, we wanted to have a like-minded partner.

"It's great to see the Ford brand coming back into Formula One."

Mick Schumacher has been named as McLaren's reserve driver for 2023 after a deal was struck with Mercedes.

The 23-year-old, son of Formula One great Michael Schumacher, lost his seat at Haas following the 2022 season and was subsequently released from Ferrari's young driver programme.

Schumacher signed as Mercedes' third driver, behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, but will now deputise for Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri at McLaren in the event of either being unable to race.

Those opportunities would still be presented should either Hamilton or Russell have issues this season, though there is now a greater chance of Schumacher making an appearance on the grid.

In two seasons at Haas, Schumacher scored points on two occasions from 43 races and was replaced by compatriot Nico Hulkenberg for the 2023 campaign.

As pointed out by McLaren, representing the team brings the Schumacher name full circle as team principal Andrea Stella worked alongside Mick's father as performance engineer.

Lando Norris is a "franchise driver" and is as good as Formula One icon Fernando Alonso, McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes.

The 23-year-old is set for his fifth year with McLaren and has a new teammate for 2023 in Oscar Piastri, resulting in an exciting youthful pairing in F1.

McLaren have high hopes for their future in F1, with Brown recently outlining his objective of competing for the title by 2025, and Norris is an integral part of those plans.

The team have managed to keep Norris out of the clutches of Red Bull, whom he has spoken to in the past, with the young driver tied down until 2025 and seen as a figure McLaren can build around.

Though there is still plenty for Norris to achieve in F1, Brown suggests he is comparable to two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso.

"Lando's a franchise driver. Lando's one of those guys if we put everyone in a dirt buggy and we put all the F1 drivers in a race, he'd be at the front because he's got that kind of natural talent," Brown told ESPN.

"I think he is as good as anyone on the grid, and I've felt that from day one when I put him against Fernando in the 24 Hours of Daytona, foreign car, foreign track.

"I think Fernando is as good as any F1 driver there's ever been, and Lando matches him, and depending on what time of day it was, maybe he even got him a little bit, and vice versa.

"You see that natural talent. You do get some drivers who are a one-make discipline and you throw them in a unique situation and they don't get up to speed as quickly."

Norris is still waiting for a maiden victory in F1 but he did see Mercedes' George Russell – someone he raced alongside during their junior careers – secure a win last season.

Brown feels that will provide encouragement for the forthcoming campaign.

"He wants to be winning races, I'm sure he knows he can beat George and he has beaten George before... and he goes out and wins," Brown added.

"He's going to be anxious people he's raced with don't get too many more wins before he starts getting his."

Alfa Romeo have appointed Alessandro Alunni Bravi as team representative following Frederic Vasseur's exit to Ferrari.

Part of the Sauber Group since 2017, Alunni Bravi's new role effectively fills that of a team principal and he will "represent the team in all official functions at race weekends and away from the track".

The appointment marks one of the first major tasks completed by Andreas Seidl, who joined as the new CEO of the Sauber Group last month from McLaren.

"I am delighted to confirm the appointment of Alessandro Alunni Bravi to the role of team representative, in addition to his existing duties of managing director of the Group," Seidl said.

"His vast experience in motorsport has equipped him with all the tools he needs to succeed, and his intimate knowledge of the team, of which he has been part for more than five years, will ensure stability and continuity in our progression.

"Alessandro representing the team during the Formula One championship will allow me to focus on growing the Group and preparing for the challenges and opportunities that await us.

"I thank Alessandro for his belief in our vision and I welcome him to this additional position: I am convinced this is another valuable addition to what is without any doubt a very strong team, from the drivers to the management team, to each one of our employees, capable of building on last year's success and creating a bright future for Sauber."

The team is entering a transitional period this year, with the Alfa Romeo naming deal expiring at the end of the 2023 season and will be replaced by Audi, who officially enters F1 in 2026.

Testing ahead of the new season begins in Spain next month, with the first race taking place in Bahrain on March 20.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem made it clear that Formula One's governing body has a say on who controls the series' commercial rights.

The civil war between the FIA and F1 took another twist this week after Ben Sulayem expressed concern about reports that Saudi Arabia is interested in buying the sport for a mammoth $20billion (£16.15bn) fee.

F1 responded fiercely, insisting that owners Liberty Media has the "exclusive right" to "exploit the commercial rights".

Ben Sulayem is not backing down, however, with his belief that the FIA still has a decisive say on the matter.

"The championship is ours. We have only rented it out," he said at the Monte Carlo rally, per Auto Motor und Sport.

"So far there are only rumours about a possible sale. But the FIA should have a say and be able to offer advice."

Two decades ago, a 100-year lease deal was agreed between the FIA and former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone for a reported fee of $300m (£242m) – a figure significantly lower than the motorsport's current value.

Despite that, it is reported that a 'Don King clause' hands the FIA veto power over any sale.

Ben Sulayem has regularly been at loggerheads with F1 since taking charge of the FIA in December 2021, recently publicly backing Andretti's proposed entry alongside General Motors and adopting a tough stance against drivers wearing jewellery during the 2022 season.

Max Verstappen is confident Red Bull will use the punishments issued for budget cap breaches as "extra motivation" to succeed in 2023.

The team, who won the Constructor's Championship for the first time since 2013 last season, have been hit with wind tunnel testing restrictions and CFD limitations after they were judged to have breached financial regulations.

The full impact of those punishments is unclear but a reduction in time allowed in the wind tunnel could lead Red Bull to fall behind their rivals in aerodynamic developments, causing them to lose time on the fastest sections of Formula One tracks.

Rivals Ferrari are reported to have made significant gains ahead of the 2023 campaign, with their car said to be a second faster than their 2022 vehicle, while Mercedes made clear improvements at the back end of last season.

However, Verstappen, bidding to win a third consecutive championship, expects Red Bull to be in the running and feels the punishments issued can provide additional encouragement for the team.

"Well, I mean, it will affect us, but how much? I don't know yet," he told the F1's official website.

"I'm confident that the team, and the people we have, can use that as extra motivation to try and do even better. I know, of course, they always give their best.

"But we have a very competitive car, we have a lot of great ideas, I think, already for next year as well with the car, and hopefully it’s going to be enough."

F1 teams head to Bahrain in February for pre-season testing, before the new campaign begins in Sakhir on March 5.

Formula One has decided against replacing the cancelled Chinese Grand Prix in the 2023 calendar, which remains a 23-race season.

Shanghai was set to host China's first race since 2019 on April 16, making it the fourth date on the calendar.

But the race was cancelled in December due to China's zero-COVID policy, with the country still implementing strict rules in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus.

It was deemed unfeasible to host a race in Shanghai, with F1 subsequently considering potential replacement destinations elsewhere.

Portimao in Portugal and Istanbul in Turkey were apparently in contention, but it was confirmed on Tuesday that the season will remain 23 races instead.

That leaves a four-week gap between the third race in Australia on April 2 and the fourth race in Azerbaijan on April 30.

"Formula 1 can confirm that the 2023 season will consist of 23 races," a statement read.

"That means the season will kick off with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5, and finish in Abu Dhabi on November 26, with the brand new Las Vegas Grand Prix joining the calendar a week before the season finale."

In November 2021, F1 signed a contract extension through 2025 with the Chinese Grand Prix. 

However, this will be the fourth year in a row that China has been unable to host a race on the F1 calendar due to COVID-19.

Pre-season testing will commence on February 23 after the 10 teams unveil their new cars for the year earlier that month.

Williams have named James Vowles as their team principal for the 2023 Formula One campaign, prising him from his role as Mercedes' strategy director.

Williams finished bottom of the constructors' championship standings in 2022, the fourth time they have done so in the last five seasons.

That led Jost Capito to step down as team principal after two years at the helm, and Vowles will replace him on February 20 after being released from his contract with Mercedes.

Vowles has been with Mercedes since the team's 2010 inception, helping them win eight consecutive constructors' titles between 2014 and 2021 before they were usurped by Red Bull last year.

"I cannot wait to start with Williams Racing," Vowles told the team's website. "It's an honour to join a team with such an incredibly rich heritage.

"The team is an icon of our sport, one I greatly respect, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge.

"Williams Racing have placed their faith and trust in me, and I will do the same in return. The team has tremendous potential, and our journey together starts in a matter of weeks."

Williams' 2023 car will be launched on February 6, with newcomer Logan Sargeant set to partner Alex Albon in the upcoming campaign.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who previously worked at Williams, backed Vowles to make a success of his new role.

Wolff said: "While we are naturally sad to be saying goodbye to such a capable member of the team, I have no doubts whatsoever that he has all the necessary skills to become a fantastic team principal in Formula One.

"We wish him every success and are delighted that he will take this next step in his career with Williams, a strong technical partner of ours and one that has a place close to my own heart."

FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem is adamant Formula One should be "encouraging" companies like General Motors to enter the sport.

Andretti, partnering with GM brand Cadillac, expressed intentions last week to join the F1 grid, though their announcement was met with a lukewarm response from within the sport.

It has been reported there is concern whether Andretti would "add value" to F1, particularly given the team's desire to base themselves in the United States and not in Europe, where the rest of the sport is homed.

Previous failures of Toyota and Jaguar in the 2000s serve as evidence of the difficulties in meeting the demands of F1, particularly as, at least initially, the Andretti/Cadillac name would be merely added to a Renault engine.

Additions of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are seen as a more tangible prospect for an F1 expansion, though Ben Sulayem feels F1 should not be shutting the door to alternative approaches.

"Today there are two sides of sustainability. There is sustainability of the environment, and there is sustainability of the sport," he told reporters at the Dakar Rally.

"If you want to sustain the sport, you have to open it to the rest of the manufacturers. And to us, we are allowed to have 12 teams on the grid.

"To have a big company like GM, which is one of the top five in the world, we should be encouraging them to come to Formula 1. That is the way I would like to see the future: having an OEM in with sustainability.

"Every single partner there [in F1], or stakeholder there, should be welcoming an OEM, especially from America. You have three races there [in the United States], and we don't have maybe a racer, a driver, and for sure we don't have an OEM.

"I welcome anyone to fill up the 12 [spots], but proper teams. We have accepted good teams but also smaller teams, like Haas and Sauber. I hope that this will change, and we will be able to have a proper team on the grid. It will be odd [to be] at 11, and not 10 or 12. But we'll see."

However, despite already publicly hitting out at the "adverse reaction" to Andretti's proposed entry, Ben Sulayem made it clear he is not yet at a stage where he is ready to fully approve the proposals.

"There is the due diligence. There is a process, we wait, and it goes. As an FIA or a president, I didn't say yes [we approved it]: we opened it. So let them see," he added.

"Are they going to succeed? Will they tick the boxes? Will they be able to be there? We cannot just go and rely on what's going on, we have to look for the future."