Vettel has "no advice" for Verstappen after 'failing to succeed' against Hamilton

Sebastian Vettel insisted he has "no advice" to give Max Verstappen in the Dutchman's quest to dethrone Lewis Hamilton as F1 world champion because he "didn't succeed".

Four-time champion Vettel twice troubled Hamilton whilst a Ferrari driver in 2017 and 2018 but was ultimately unable to topple the British driver.

Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, a venue at which Vettel had carried the championship lead into during both of the aforementioned seasons, the German was asked what advice he would give Verstappen.

"No advice," he said. "I didn't succeed, Lewis beat me so it is better not to give him any advice.

"I guess he wants to succeed. It is a long year and a lot of races. It doesn't work like this so I am not giving him any advice."

Verstappen's title charge is the first time since Vettel led the 2018 championship that Hamilton and Mercedes have been put under threat of losing their monopoly on the sport.

Vettel insisted his former Ferrari team simply didn't have what it took to better its rivals when asked if he felt the Scuderia was good enough to have done.

"Well ultimately, we didn't win the championships," he added. "We were leading the championships but we didn't win them at the end.

"In both of those years, we had a strong beginning but we aren't that strong in the end and ultimately I think that is why we lost out, we just didn't have the pace, I think Max spoke about the tactics so it all needs to come together.

"In that regard, Mercedes have been quite strong since 2014 and won everything there is to win in the big picture."

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