mobile app bar

“Max Is Now a Step Ahead of Vettel”: Ex-F1 Driver Settles the Red Bull Bragging Rights Debate

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

Max Verstappen (L) and Sebastian Vettel (R)

Sebastian Vettel won the F1 world championship at the age of 23, making him the sport’s youngest title-winner of all time. He then went on to win three more times, establishing himself as a great of the sport, all before his 28th birthday. For a long time, he was considered to be the best young driver ever but that was until Max Verstappen entered the scene.

It took time for Verstappen to enter the championship picture. It was only in 2021 (six years after his debut aged 17) that he would go on to launch a serious bid for the crown, one in which he succeeded. That’s when the Vettel comparisons started to creep in.

Vettel, a former Red Bull driver himself, held the statistical edge for a long time, having more race wins (53) than the Dutchman. However, in 2023, Verstappen eclipsed that record and currently has 63 wins to his name in addition to having recently secured his fourth world championship (also won consecutively like Vettel). So, the question arises again: who is the better driver?

Ex-F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne thinks the answer is Verstappen. “I think Max is now a step ahead of Vettel,” he said to Formule1.nl. “Of course, every year is different, every championship too. But if you see how Max wins that title this season, just like in his first season: very special.”

Vandoorne was referencing Verstappen’s maiden title battle against Lewis Hamilton, a fiercely contested showdown that saw the Red Bull star triumph in one of the most intense championship fights in F1 history. Moreover, the Belgian driver shed light on his win in 2024, which was incredibly difficult since he won with what was an underperforming car.

Vettel compared to Verstappen

Verstappen’s 2021 and 2024 title wins were difficult, as Vandoorne highlighted. But it would be incorrect to assume that Vettel had it easy throughout his four-peat.

Yes, he won rather comfortably in 2011 and 2013, thanks to a dominant Red Bull car. However, his championship-winning campaigns in 2010 and 2012 went right down to the wire, with multiple challengers on his tail in those seasons. One of the best drivers of all time, Fernando Alonso — who was driving for Ferrari then — nearly defeated him twice.

In 2010, the Spaniard finished just four points behind Vettel, a margin that came down to just three in 2012. Vettel held on, but barely by the skin of his teeth and also because of errors made in Ferrari’s strategy leading up to the season finale.

Parallels between Verstappen’s and Vettel’s Red Bull campaigns are often drawn, highlighting their mix of dominant and hard-fought victories. One thing is undeniable: both drivers have cemented their place among F1’s all-time legends.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

Share this article