Four world titles each, the same team, but two very different eras. Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen represent the two most successful cycles in Red Bull’s Formula 1 history, yet according to Guenther Steiner, there is no real comparison between them. In his view, the Dutch driver operates in a completely different category, and he is far from being the only one who thinks so.
Two four-title streaks, but very different contexts
Sebastian Vettel dominated Formula 1 between 2010 and 2013, leading Red Bull to four consecutive drivers’ championships and four constructors’ titles. Max Verstappen has matched that tally with his own four world championships between 2021 and 2024, but under significantly different circumstances. During Max Verstappen’s title run, Red Bull only had the outright best car on the grid on two occasions.
The most telling statistic concerns race victories. Verstappen and Red Bull form the third most successful driver-team pairing in Formula 1 history with 71 wins, trailing only Michael Schumacher with Ferrari on 72 victories and Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes on 84. Vettel, by contrast, achieved 38 wins with the Milton Keynes-based team.
After his dominant Red Bull years, the German driver’s trajectory began to lose momentum. He finished fifth in the championship in 2014, before moving to Ferrari in an attempt to fulfil his dream of winning the world title in red. Despite finishing second in both 2017 and 2018, Vettel was unable to secure the championship. His career then concluded with two underwhelming seasons at Aston Martin, both ending with a twelfth-place finish in the standings.
Steiner and Marko: “Max is on another level”
Speaking on the The Red Flags podcast, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner did not hold back when comparing Red Bull’s two four-time world champions:
“Vettel always drove a dominant car, while Max has shown that he can win even without a dominant car. Just look at what he did in 2025: he finished second in the championship and ended the season just two points behind champion Lando Norris.”
Steiner then reinforced his stance with an even stronger assessment:
“Even last year Red Bull did not have the best car, and yet Verstappen was crowned world champion. Vettel at Ferrari did not amaze… He won races, but it was never a success like Schumacher. I think Max is playing in a different league.”
This view is also shared by Helmut Marko, who has long highlighted the Dutch driver’s superiority and unique qualities within the Red Bull programme:
“For Red Bull, Vettel will always be important, but Verstappen is without doubt the best driver we have ever had. Sebastian is meticulous, Max does what is necessary. He reminds me of Ayrton Senna… among all the drivers I know, he is the most similar.”
The comparison between Vettel and Verstappen continues to divide fans, but among insiders there appears to be far less debate. For Steiner and Marko, Max Verstappen represents a level of talent and impact that goes beyond statistics alone. Vettel embodied the era of a dominant Red Bull; Verstappen, on the other hand, has built his legacy even when the car was not the benchmark. Two champions, two styles, two eras – but for many within the sport, the balance of the argument clearly leans in one direction.
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