Formula 1 | Verstappen and the bond with Vettel: “We write to each other after every race”

Formula 1 Verstappen Vettel – Max Verstappen revealed that he maintains a close relationship with Sebastian Vettel, his colleague and four-time Formula 1 world champion. The Dutch driver said he frequently exchanges messages with the German, underlining the friendship that binds them: “We write to each other later almost every race. Sebastian is a very pleasant person, I really like him.”

Verstappen and the relationship with Vettel

Looking ahead to next season, Verstappen expressed cautious optimism about Red Bull's prospects. After a 2024 that saw the Austrian team face increasingly stiff competition from McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes, the world champion does not expect to start as favourite.

“We won't be the favorites next year, but that's okay,” he admitted in the chat on Servus TV's Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar-7. “We had some problems and now we have to react, change many things. In the last 12 or 13 races we have not been the fastest. We need to intervene to get back to first place, but maybe it's also good not to be the favorite for once.”

Red Bull's goals for 2025 and 2026

The season just ended represented a demanding challenge for Red Bull, which had to deal with a decline in competitiveness in the second half of the championship. Verstappen, while aware of the difficulties, underlined the importance of working on the team's weak points to return to the top.

Meanwhile, the relationship with Vettel seems to offer the Dutch driver an important source of support and comparison. The two champions, united by a path full of successes, share not only experiences on the track, but also a mutual respect which is reflected in their regular communication. A connection that, beyond the dynamics of competition, enriches the human panorama of Formula 1.