“Max Verstappen can never be ruled out”: Sebastian Vettel gets 100% real on Red Bull star’s 5th F1 title prospects

Sebastian Vettel recently opened up about Max Verstappen's prospects in the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Dutchman is currently tied with Vettel on four titles, but the German believes Verstappen could win his fifth despite a competitive grid this season.

Vettel and Verstappen hold remarkable legacies at Red Bull Racing. Vettel won four consecutive titles from 2010 to 2013. He was the key to the team's dominance in the 2010s, similar to Verstappen in the 2020s. The Dutchman mirrored Vettel's era, winning four titles from 2021 to 2024, putting an end to Mercedes' dominance.

While speaking in the BBC Sportsworld podcast, Vettel recently praised Mclaren's Lando Norris as a potential challenger to the RB#1.

"So, I am pretty sure he (Verstappen) can do it. If anyone can do it, he can do it as well with the (four) championships in Red Bull...At the minute, it looks like it's Max against Lando. Naturally, because McLaren is so strong and Lando has gained so much experience. Max is never to be ruled out, and I think Red Bull will bounce back."

Vettel has always been vocal about his admiration for Verstappen and believes he could go past his title mark as well. While the spotlight has been on the Papaya team, Vettel was also quick to point out the unpredictability of the season. He added that Ferrari and Mercedes could also close the gap with the likes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton posing a challenge.

Max Verstappen falling behind 'super strong' McLaren

Lando Norris leads Max Verstappen during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia - Source: Getty

The 2025 season has been dominated by McLaren so far, with Lando Norris winning the Australian Grand Prix and his teammate Oscar Piastri winning the Chinese Grand Prix. Norris is currently at the top of the F1 standings with 44 points, followed by Max Verstappen at second, eight points behind after two races and a sprint.

Talking after the rain-hit season opener at Melbourne, Verstappen acknowledged the MCL60's superiority and improvement in the off-season.

"They (McLaren) are super strong. I have a lot of respect for what they have done. Already last year and now they are very fast. Yeah, very all-around, good everywhere. Now how big the gap is or whatever is difficult to say. I think the clear picture that you saw was that McLaren was quite far ahead...In the first stint, I didn't really have a lot of chance to fight," said Max Verstappen via Autosport

While the current season has presented hurdles, Verstappen finished P2 in the first race and P4 in the second. He aims to take confidence from the performances and is likely to push for a resurgence in the next race at Suzuka Circuit in Japan.