Interview: Vettel backs Hamilton to beat Verstappen in 2021 F1 season Xinhua 07 May 2021, 18:18 GMT+10 Sebastian Vettel on his way to a lowly 15th place in the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy (Photo courtesy of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team) Ahead of the 2021 F1 Spanish Grand Prix, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel speaks exclusively to Xinhua on the likely outcome of this year's title race, his expectations for 2021, and the current struggles of his Aston Martin team. by F1 correspondent Michael Butterworth BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Aston Martin F1 driver Sebastian Vettel has predicted that Lewis Hamilton will see off the challenge of Max Verstappen and win a record eighth Formula One world championship.