“Everybody is beatable” - Vettel’s response to teaming up with Verstappen

Vettel won all four of his F1 drivers’ titles with Red Bull in 2010 to 2013.

Verstappen is on a similar run himself as he’s on course to take his third consecutive title at next weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.

In an interview with Channel 4 during the Japanese GP weekend, Vettel was asked if he’d be able to beat Verstappen in a Red Bull.

He replied: “Not like that [clicks fingers], because that’s how good he is, and that’s just not how it works for any one of us,”

“But, of course, I believe in what I can and know what I can do and maybe what I can’t do. I think I’m very different to him, but I mean, obviously, I’m convinced that everybody is beatable.

“But it is a big commitment. I know also the way I like to do the sport is a huge commitment, and if I do something, I want to do it properly.

“So I wouldn’t be able to beat him just turning up and dropping my bag in the room, getting my kit on and ‘let’s have a go’. I don’t think that’s how it works.”

Reflecting on the season as a whole, Vettel stated that Verstappen’s impressive run is “great to watch” and that “you’ve got to impressed by the excellence”.

“Max is amazing,” he added. “I think it’s great to watch. Obviously, it will be very, very, very, very difficult to repeat.

“I get it, it’s boring to watch if the same guy wins again, but you’ve got to be impressed by the excellence.”