Vettel sees 'exceptional Verstappen' snatching glory away from McLaren

Although McLaren is currently calling the shots, Vettel thinks that's no guarantee for the future. "There's nothing to argue about why they can't build the best car," he says, speaking to the Sport am Sonntag podcast from ORF. "Red Bull is now very well positioned in terms of infrastructure and personnel. But you can see it now: sometimes it's not just the infrastructure or personnel, but also the team structure, and that sometimes fluctuates. McLaren has had a very good run recently. How long that will last is unknown."

With new engine regulations coming up and the switch to its own powertrain for Red Bull in 2026, it remains to be seen how the relations develop. " We don't yet know how things will turn out this year, but it's difficult to make a prediction for the next few years, because it's certainly possible that things will turn out quite well with the new power unit and the switch to [their] own power unit."

When asked who is currently in the best position in the title fight of 2025, Vettel is cautious. "I think the favorites are Max, those two, McLaren, and George at the moment. But they're all very close together. I think the level is very high. And right now, even if McLaren is perhaps dominant, I don't have a clear favorite yet."

Because of these small differences, every result is important, Vettel emphasizes. "The season is still far too long and so much can still happen. And when everything is so close, fifth place can sometimes be very good, even if it might currently be considered a disaster, it can ultimately be very valuable."