Can Max Verstappen achieve what Sebastian Vettel never managed? Why the German has every confidence in the title defender winning a fifth world championship title with Red Bull
When Sebastian Vettel looks at the current difficulties of Red Bull, he may feel transported back to 2014. Because the German also won four consecutive world championship titles for the Milton Keynes-based team. But then suddenly things went wrong, Vettel was even clearly beaten by his new teammate Daniel Ricciardo and in the end only finished fifth in the world championship.
A little more than a decade later, Max Verstappen repeated Vettel’s success story with the team, drawing level with world championship titles last year. But can the Dutchman achieve what the German failed to do: win title number five with Red Bull?
In response to this question, Vettel, in an interview with BBC Sportsworld, shares an anecdote from Verstappen’s dominant 2023: “I was in contact with him when he was about to break my record for most consecutive wins. I had nine – then he equaled it. I told him, ‘You’re better than me, you’ll beat me.’ He said, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know.’ And then he made ten.”
Max not finished yet? Vettel: ‘I’m pretty sure’
That’s why Vettel believes: “So I’m pretty sure that he can do it with the titles too – if anyone can do it, he can, especially with Red Bull.” But the German leaves open the question of whether Verstappen’s fifth title in blue, which Vettel considers possible, will be in a row, or whether the Dutchman will have to be patient a little longer.
Because the only thing that is certain for Vettel is that 2025 will be an extremely close season. But this is also where the difference lies between his 2014, when new regulations had just shifted the balance of power in Formula 1, and the current situation – after all, the rules will not be changed until 2026: perhaps this is a great opportunity for Verstappen to extend his run with Red Bull after all?
“I think we’ll see different teams at the top with the different tracks and layouts,” writes Vettel, not writing off any of the top teams just yet: ‘Maybe Mercedes will be added to that list – that’s the unknown this year, the teams could be much closer together.’
Vettel believes in ‘Max vs Lando’ again
However, he admits: “At the moment it looks like McLaren has a slight advantage. But this is the last year of these regulations, so it will naturally be very close.” Lando Norris, who currently leads the championship, also believes that the German is capable of winning the title: “He has proven that he has what it takes. He has the skills. I think he’ll be even stronger this year – with the experience he gained last year.”
That’s why Vettel believes: ‘At the moment, it looks like it’s going to be a battle between Max and Lando, because McLaren are so strong and Lando has gained so much experience. But you can never write off Max – and Red Bull will strike back.’
