Ex-Bitter F1 Rivals Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso Reportedly Spotted Swapping Helmets at French GP

Many F1 fans are aware that Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel were fierce rivals in their heyday. Between 2010 and 2014, Vettel and Alonso duelled for the championship. In fact, the two were even touted as the best drivers of their generation. Furthermore, they both had the honor of being the “youngest world champion”.

Of course, there were times when things got heated between them. At that time, Vettel used to race for Red Bull and Alonso was a Ferrari driver. Admittedly, Sebastian Vettel won majority of their battles, as evidenced by his four titles. However it now seems that the two veterans have a lot of respect for each other after their bitter rivalry.

Following the French Grand Prix qualifying session, the Aston Martin and Alpine drivers were spotted swapping helmets. It is also worth mentioning that they even signed the helmets before the exchange. Without a doubt, this is a clear sign that there is massive mutual respect between the two former rivals.

What to expect from Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso?

On an interesting note, this is not the first time Vettel has been part of a helmet swap. Back in 2018 after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he and Lewis Hamilton exchanged helmets as a mark of respect between the two. The Briton even compared his actions to a football match where players sometime swap jerseys after a game.

With qualifying complete, Alonso is going to start the French Grand Prix in 9th place. Meanwhile, Vettel starts a few places behind him in 12th place. Admittedly, there are high hopes for the veteran Spaniard, as the Alpine Racing team have been impressive in practice. Meanwhile, Vettel is high on confidence, especially on the back of his first Aston Martin podium in Azerbaijan.

READ MORE: Vettel and Hamilton Exchange Helmets as Mark of Respect