It was only going to be a matter of time before Max Verstappen equaled Sebastian Vettel’s record of winning four consecutive World Championships, which the Dutchman achieved in Las Vegas last weekend. He has truly cemented himself as one of the greats now. Perhaps, he has eclipsed four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel’s legacy too.
Guenther Steiner for one, feels that Verstappen will remain in the minds of F1 fans for longer, because of his straightforward personality. He compared the two Red Bull champions in the recent episode of the Red Flags podcast.
“I think Max, his attitude to racing, he will be remembered longer. He is less methodical, he is just a sheer racer. His personality and everything, performance-wise, it puts at the same level as Vettel,” he said.
Steiner said some drivers don’t leave a lasting mark in the minds of people even after winning World Championships. While he didn’t explicitly mention Vettel, he praised Verstappen a lot more. “I think it puts him up with the big boys,” the ex-Haas boss added.
Verstappen has certainly developed a large, passionate fanbase owing to his no-nonsense persona, which is refreshing in the age of PR and media. His focus has been only on driving on the track, a duty he fulfills with sheer commitment. This, according to Steiner, makes him one-of-a-kind.
Seb Max#F1 @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/qdPTnb80zr
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 26, 2024
However, Vettel’s Championship successes and the way he carried himself around, cannot be undermined. Among newer fans, he became a hero because of his off-track ventures in favor of the environment. But, he was also a ruthless competitor during his prime Red Bull days.
He wanted to dominate every race, every qualifying session, wanting to take the fastest laps even when he was miles clear of P2 while in the lead. Vettel certainly had a lot of aura during his dominant years from 2010 to 2013. If anything, Verstappen and Vettel are quite similar — both young and dynamic world champions for the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.
How can Verstappen surpass Vettel’s legacy?
Verstappen can certainly share the table with some of F1’s best drivers ever. But Steiner highlighted that to be the absolute best, he will have to win seven World Championships like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher did.
Then, the 59-year-old also mentioned what more Verstappen could do. He feels winning one or two Championships with a team other than Red Bull would allow him to build a stronger legacy. For instance, Hamilton commands a lot of respect because he won with both McLaren and Mercedes. Schumacher too, won twice with Benetton before securing five titles in a row with Ferrari.
Coming back to Hamilton, he is even aiming to clinch another Championship with Ferrari after he moves there in 2025.
Steiner expressed some doubt about whether Verstappen would want to move on from Red Bull. But if does move teams, his success at that team could help him surpass the likes of fellow four-time champions Vettel and Alain Prost.
