Vettel and Alonso went head-to-head for the 2010 and 2012 world championships, with the Red Bull dri𒊎ver coming out on top on bot🌌h occasions.

The pair’s rivalry was i✅ncredibly respectful on track as they never came to blows during their respe🌌ctive title duels.

Alonso had been previously critical of Vettel ✱for his run of success in the early 2010s, suggesting that it was down to the Red Bull car built by design guru Adrian Newey, rather than the German’s talents.

• Fernando Alonso recalls Red Bull’s titles - “they won by exploitin🦄g a grey area”

With Vettel retiring at the end of 2022, Alonso - to some surprise - was one to praise his former rival, even stating he wouldn’t fight him on the opening l🐼ap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Pr🔯ix.

Reflecting on his rivalry with 🔥the Spaniard, Vettel recalled his titanic duel with Alonso for the 2012 championship.

“I think I admire him as a competitor," Vettel told the Beyond The Grid podcast. “He's probably been the toughest one, especially in [those] first couple of y💜ears, and we haไd [such] close battles at the end of the championships, both in 2010 and then 2012, in particular, which is still probably one of my favourite moments/memories.

“Just the tension coming into the 2012 Brazilian Grand Pr🧸ix, 𒁏that morning, that build-up.

“I think that, for me, at least – I don't know for the people who were there, [they] were probably more r🙈elaxed – but for me, it was very intense, and I think both of us were very nervous."

V�📖�ettel conceded that he and Alonso never got to know each other away from the race track.

“I r🅺ate Fernando really high as a driver,” he added. “I think he has got so much natural talent, incredible determination, great racing instinct, and all of that he hasn't lost. You can﷽ see he loves his racing. He's very passionate. 

“As a person, though, I don'🐈t know him, really. I wouldn't say we don't get along, I think we respect each other. But it's just never happened that we really got to know each other, spend time [together] or talk much outside racing.”