Sebastian Vettel explains why he finds it ‘scary’ watching Max Verstappen

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Sebastian Vettel shared some heated moments with Max Verstappen during his career in Formula 1, and the four-time world champion has explained why he finds it ‘scary’ watching the Dutchman in action.

Max Verstappen’s opening years in F1 coincided with some of the most difficult years of Sebastian Vettel’s career.

The German driver struggled to clinch a fifth world championship against the high-flying partnership of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, and often found himself in intense battles with the Red Bull driver for the final spot on the podium.

Vettel felt like Verstappen was overly aggressive during his years of infancy in the premier class of single-seater motorsport, and the pair weren’t shy of clashes during pre-event driver briefings.

Despite the heated rivalry they once shared, Vettel has a deep respect for his former sparring partner, as detailed in his latest comments in regards to Verstappen’s prowess at the wheel of an F1 car.

READ MORE: Is Max Verstappen’s defensive driving a legacy of not being punished enough?

Sebastian Vettel reveals what he finds ‘scary’ about Max Verstappen

In a recent appearance on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Verstappen’s former on-track rival, Sebastian Vettel, was asked about the current title race and the calibre of the three drivers who are currently serving as the championship protagonists.

When posed the question of how good he thinks the Red Bull star is, Vettel replied, “The scary thing is, he’s getting better.”

The former F1 driver, who retired at the end of Verstappen’s second title feat in 2022, added, “We know he’s good, but he’s still improving.

“He’s still hungry. He’s still willing to learn. I think he’s working very hard behind the scenes as well. That’s what makes him so strong, and of course, he’s blessed with a lot of talent on top of that.

“But even if he’s one of the most talented drivers on the grid, I think ultimately what makes him so strong is always a combination, but the key ingredient is his head.

“In the situations where it matters, he keeps his head, hardly ever makes a mistake, and delivers when he needs to.

“He feels the pressure; we all do, but I don’t think it’s possible not to feel the pressure. But he’s able to find a space in his head where he’s able to put that to one side and focus on what matters.”

READ MORE: Max Verstappen mechanic pinpoints the moment Lewis Hamilton was just as ruthless as Red Bull superstar

Sebastian Vettel also believes that Max Verstappen’s prior title feats are aiding him to cope with the current pressure

Before the start of the current Formula 1 campaign, Verstappen was asked how he dealt with the pressure that was applied by Norris during their 2024 title fight.

The 28-year-old withstood a late attack from the McLaren star to clinch a fourth successive title, citing his ability to deal with his issues on his own.

Vettel believes Verstappen’s experience in championship battles that go down to the wire is aiding his attempts to steal a fifth consecutive championship from the grasp of Norris again this season.

He added, “Not a lot of people have won that many championships, but I’ve been lucky to say that I’ve won a couple. I think the biggest relief for me came with the first one.

“It’s a bit like the first win. It’s like, ‘Wow, I can do this.’ And then obviously after the first win, it’s like, ‘Now it’s clear.’ More than ever, you want to win a championship, but he doesn’t need to prove to himself that he can win a championship.

“Plus, in the position he’s in right now, being in the hunt, it’s like, okay, just got to do everything perfect. If it works, it works.”