Sebastian Vettel’s Inferiority to Max Verstappen Brought to Light by F1 Expert

Over the past few weeks, conversations about Max Verstappen dominating F1 have become more common. The Dutchman won his second consecutive world championship in 2022 dominant fashion that somewhat mirrored Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 win. However, reputed F1 expert Peter Windsor doesn’t think Vettel was as good as Verstappen’s 2022 title run.

Vettel created history in the 2013 season, winning nine consecutive F1 races and dominating the field in such a way that it decreased viewership among neutral fans. In a YouTube video posted by Cameron F1, Windsor talks about Vettel’s approach to driving and why it benefited him. According to the 71-year-old Vettel had a car that had an amazing backend, which helped his driving style.

Vettel’s superior rear of the car gave him an unprecedented advantage that suited his driving style and helped his approach. This allowed the four-time world champion to be a step ahead of his peers, and dominate races in the way he did back in the start of the decade. Verstappen meanwhile, has a completely different approach, which makes him the best driver in F1.

Max Verstappen and his smart approach to being dominant

Verstappen won his first world championship in 2021, narrowly edging out seven-time title winner Lewis Hamilton. After a nervy finish to his first championship-winning campaign, Verstappen went on to decimate the rest of the field in 2022. He won the championship with four races to spare and also led Red Bull to their first constructors’ title win since 2013.

Max Verstappen shares a story about Sebastian Vettel:

“For me one thing I will always remember for the rest of my life…last year, Silverstone, I came back from the hospital to get to my motorhome…

“And he was there waiting for me when I got out of the car”#F1 #AbuDhabiGP

— Autosport (@autosport) November 17, 2022

Windsor described Verstappen’s secret to dominating races in the form of a hypothetical experiment. He stated that if they put white paint under Verstappen’s car and under the car of his teammate Sergio Perez and both drivers go for a flying lap around a circuit, one would notice that Verstappen covers a much smaller distance over the course of a lap.

Max Verstappen matches Sebastian Vettel’s record of 38 wins for Red Bull Racing 👏

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/rIKLQgLeJv

— Autosport (@autosport) May 7, 2023

This indicates that the 25-year-old is very smart with the racing line he chooses, allowing him to save time while pushing in races. This is contrary to what Vettel used to rely on, with the now retired F1 star relying on a stable rear end, resulting in strong traction to bail him out of corners.

Verstappen’s third successive world championship?

After winning both the 2021 and 2022 world championships, Verstappen is showing no signs of slowing down this season. Red Bull has built what is arguably its most dominant car in a long time, and the first five race wins have all gone to their drivers, with Verstappen taking home three of those.

Verstappen currently leads the 2023 world championship with 119 points to his name. His teammate Sergio Perez is on his heels, however, just 14 points behind him. The Mexican driver, who has never been involved in a title challenge before is determined not to pass out on his opportunity and he looks to spoil Verstappen’s chances of winning yet another championship.