F1 News: Max Verstappen Reflects On Sebastian Vettel's Influence In His Formula One Career

Max Verstappen speaks out on how inspiring Sebastian Vettel's four consecutive championships were to him.

Three-time F1 champion Max Verstappen has candidly shared how Sebastian Vettel's championship triumphs inspired his own Formula 1 aspirations. Verstappen's admiration for Vettel's success during his dominant era at Red Bull has been a driving force in his quest for racing glory.

Key Takeaways:

• Vettel's Influence: Max Verstappen, in a revealing moment on the Talking Bulls podcast, expressed how witnessing Sebastian Vettel's championship wins with Red Bull profoundly impacted him. He spoke of the allure of having his name etched alongside great drivers on the trophy.
• Verstappen's Ascent: With three consecutive world titles under his belt, Verstappen is on the brink of emulating Vettel's record of four successive championships. His journey from a young admirer to a formidable champion mirrors Vettel's illustrious career.
• Mutual Admiration: The respect between Verstappen and Vettel is mutual. Vettel, speaking at the Japanese Grand Prix, lauded Verstappen's flawless season, acknowledging his talent and consistency in dominating the sport.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has revealed that watching Sebastian Vettel lift the FIA Formula 1 drivers' championship trophy spurred him on to one day follow in the German's footsteps. Vettel, one of F1's most successful drivers, claimed four world titles consecutively from 2010 to 2013 with Red Bull. Verstappen, now a three-time world champion with the Austrian team, could match Vettel's record with another victory in 2024.

Verstappen's inspiration from Vettel's era is palpable. 

“I remember of course when it was still around the Seb [Vettel] years,” he told the

Talking Bulls podcast.



“And you see that he’s holding the trophy and that is something really impressive – you only think it would be quite cool if you had your own name on it. And then now you see it [Verstappen's name] three times on there with all these other great drivers, it’s cool. I mean, I can’t complain!”

The admiration between these two champions extends both ways. Vettel, while speaking at this year's Japanese Grand Prix, praised Verstappen's exceptional performance. 

“I think people don't like watching the same driver win," he said.

"There's Max today. There was Lewis. There was myself. There was Mika [Hakkinen] at the time, and there was Michael [Schumacher] obviously, throughout a long time.

"So, I think it's part of the sport. But it's really you should be lucky that you're able to witness history in the making. And what Max pulled off this year is amazing. His car is amazing, but even more so it's his efforts. He didn't do a mistake, so you can’t give him enough credit."