Express Sport keeps you up to date with all of the latest F1 news as the winter break continues.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have rarely fought on track since 2021 (Image: Getty)

The winter break may be underway, but there is never a quiet day in the world of F1. Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are hard at work in their factories as they look to hunt down Red Bull in the development race ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Red Bull were nigh-on unstoppable in 2023, winning 21 of the 22 Grands Prix on offer as Max Verstappen cruised to a third successive Drivers’ Championship crown. There was far less to celebrate at Mercedes, however, as the Silver Arrows ended the season winless, despite pipping Ferrari to third in the Constructors’ Championship.

While Red Bull cruised to both titles this year, the beauty of F1 is that teams can make giant leaps in performance each winter, and with McLaren in particular on a strong upward trajectory, there is hope that we will see a championship fight in 2024.

Keep up to date with all of the latest off-season news and developments below…