Max Verstappen has reached new heights in equalling Sebastian Vettel’s 9-win streak. Another nod at being a worthy successor to Vettel’s championship-winning prowess, the retired Red Bull champion now issues a fresh challenge to the new golden boy of the team.
Ahead of his record-setting weekend at the Dutch GP, Verstappen had revealed that Vettel had come out of the shadows of his retirement to drop him a text message early in the season.
Verstappen had revealed: “I think after five wins in a row, Seb texted me ‘Well done, keep it up, you’re going to do it’.” Vettel has been keeping a close eye on the season and is excited to see Verstappen do more. He wants him to pull off a feat that would make it impossible for anyone to come close.
Sebastian Vettel has a big ask of Max Verstappen
The 9 consecutive wins are already a once-in-a-blue-moon event. Only two drivers have managed to pull this off before Verstappen- Vettel and Alberto Ascari. A total of three drivers in the vast history of the sport.
Now, Vettel expects Verstappen to use his good juju while he can and set a benchmark so high no one can take it from him. Continuing the texting tradition, Vettel recently pinged Helmut Marko regarding the incredible feat Verstappen had just pulled.
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Marko revealed, “We have to go for twelve wins in a row so the record stays in our hands forever.” With the way Max Verstappen has the sport on his little finger, it won’t be an impossible task for Verstappen to pull off.
Obliterating the rest of the grid, should nothing go wrong, Verstappen is destined to continue his impressive run for the rest of the season. How much longer till someone comes and takes away a potential 12-win streak? It would take an absolutely rare gem to come close to what Verstappen has accomplished this season.
Vettel stands up for Verstappen against his haters
To fulfill Vettel’s wishes, Verstappen would have to continue to bore the sport, something both fans and drivers have a problem with. But not Vettel. The 4-time-champ stood up for Verstappen and asked the others to breathe in and enjoy perfection.
Looking at his era in F1, Vettel can’t compare the two. “I don’t think there’s much point in comparing because yes, it was a different time when I was racing – it’s different now. But what you do need to learn to enjoy, I think, is just the perfection.”
Winning 9 races in a row is a truly incredible achievement, which I’m extremely proud to be a part of @redbullracing 🙌 Today was a challenge, but the car was an unbelievable rocket ship, let’s keep this going and keep pushing 👏 pic.twitter.com/lw8q2AWJOE
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) August 27, 2023
Impressed with Verstappen, Vettel had stated, “He’s an incredible talent, and he’s not doing any mistakes… obviously, if you’re always at the front because you’re doing a very good job, then people might turn around and say ‘it’s boring, and it’s easy’. But, actually, it takes a lot more than that.”
Thus, Verstappen has received the blessings of the man who did it once and is now challenged to make it impossible to come close. The temple of speed could baptize the next god of speed in F1 as 10 consecutive wins await Verstappen.
