Sebastian Vettel believes the “scary” aspect of the current championship battle is the fact that Max Verstappen continues to improve, even after reaching the top of the sport. 

Even though Verstappen is already a four-time champion, this season might be one of his best. Over the last seven races he has taken 104 points out of Oscar Piastri, bringing them level in the standings, with both now 24 points behind leader Lando Norris. All of this has come in a car that is only third in the constructors’ championship.

Unlike Norris and Piastri, Verstappen has experience fighting for a world title, having gone through the intense 2021 showdown with Lewis Hamilton. Since then, he has defended his crown three times.

Speaking on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Vettel explained why Verstappen’s constant growth is so remarkable.

“I think the scary thing is, he's getting better. We know he's good, but he's still improving, he's still hungry, and he's still willing to learn,” Vettel said. He also stressed that Verstappen’s success goes far beyond natural talent.

“I think he's working very hard behind the scenes as well, and that's what makes him so strong. And of course, he's blessed with a lot of talent on top of that.”

According to Vettel, Verstappen’s mental calm under pressure is what makes the difference.

“In the situations where it matters, he keeps his head, he hardly ever makes a mistake, delivers when he needs to… he’s able to put pressure to the side and focus on what matters.”