Toto Wolff is of the opinion that F1's new regulations, aimed to make for more wheel-to-wheel action, will see more contenders emerge.
The 2021 Formula One season was exciting, but it concluded in controversy, with Verstappen edging out Hamilton in a dramatic final lap fight.
Wolff told the Kronen Zeitung newspaper that the seven-time world champion just needs time to process how he lost the 2021 championship.
In an interview with Austria's Kronen Zeitung newspaper, Wolff feels that the events of last month will leave an indelible mark on the sport.
Looking ahead to the 2022 season, Wolff feels Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, and Alpine are all capable of mastering the new regulations.
The Mercedes F1 team are looking for a new sponsor in the 2022 Formula 1 season after the departure of one of their long-term partners.
Hamilton has not yet spoken in public about the circumstances in which he lost an eighth world championship.
Max Verstappen chased down Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi and won his first Formula One title in a dramatic winner-take-all race.
While the pre-Christmas fire-up of the Mercedes car shows how far the team has progressed, other teams are still planning to launch their cars.
Hamilton's bid for a record eighth World Championship ended in controversy at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021.