Fellow world champion on Verstappen: 'I don't know if I can do what he can'

However, the German was just as driven and fiery as Verstappen in his young world championship years (2010-2013), which did not sit well with every opponent. Vettel joins Austrian Sport und Talk on ServusTV and praises Max's current driving style - one that many a Vettel connoisseur might recognise back to the spunk the German once had when he himself was in the running for the world championship.

The former world champion points out that Max does things with the car that he does not know if he could do. "[For example] manoeuvres, in terms of overtaking, and [at] certain track conditions. He already has an incredible feel for the car, incredible control and enjoys situations extremely quickly."

Hats off to Max

Vettel says it is one thing to think about your manoeuvres, but actually executing them is quite another. "To try it so quickly and immediately, you can only take your hat off to that," he says of Max. "I hope it continues like that for him and that he has fun above all."

In 2017 and 2018, when Vettel drove a car at Ferrari that was competitive enough to win the world championship, things still clashed at times between him and Verstappen. Consequently, many a Vettel and Verstappen fan did not always have a good time together. During these last few seasons, however, the relationship between the two has improved tremendously, both on and off the track. The German co-Red Bull world champion concludes his career with only praise for the young Dutchman.