Sebastian Vettel impressed by Max Verstappen: "The key ingredient is his mental strength."

While Max Verstappen aiming for a fifth crown at the end of the 2025 season, the Dutchman is currently equal to Sebastian Vettel in the rankings. Before being – perhaps – overtaken by his younger rival, the German did not fail to acknowledge the talent of his former competitor. I think what's scary is that he's getting better. " he states in the podcast of the F1 Beyond the Grid.

Max Verstappen also impressed, even surprising himself, with his spectacular climb up the Drivers' standings. The driver Red Bull He has thus scored more points than any other driver from Zandvoort (Netherlands) to Las Vegas – 179 points in total. Beyond his excellent results, he is also known for his passion and curiosity for motorsport in general, as evidenced by his participation in his first GT3 race at the Nürburgring.

« We know he's good, but he continues to improve. Sebastian Vettel is being praised.  He's always hungry for success, he's always ready to learn. I think he works very hard behind the scenes too, and that's what makes him so strong. Of course, he's also very talented. Even though he's one of the most talented drivers on the grid, what really makes him so strong is a combination of factors.

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Verstappen has nothing to « "Prove himself" in the fight for the title, says Vettel

Max Verstappen is currently tied for second place with Oscar piastri in the Drivers' standings. Fully back in the title fight since the end of the summer break, he threatens the McLaren of Oscar Piastri, leader between Saudi Arabia and Mexico, and of Lando Norris, in the lead since his victory in Mexico City. The Dutchman has a clear psychological advantage: already a four-time world champion, he is under less pressure than the Papaya drivers, Sebastian Vettel points out.

"Few people have won as many championships. He doesn't need to prove to himself that he can win one." add old driver Classic Ferrari for sale. In the position he is in now, being in the fight, it's a bit like: 'Okay, you just have to do everything perfectly, and if it works, it works; if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.'" One opinion shared by the person concerned. That makes things pretty easy to manage. I have nothing to lose, so we're going all in. If it works, great; if it doesn't, oh well. " notes Max Verstappen, echoing the comments of the former F1 driver.

Sebastian Vettel also praised Max Verstappen's strong mentality, a central element in his constant progress. The key ingredient is his mental strength. In crucial moments, when it counts, he keeps his cool, very rarely makes a mistake, and performs when it matters. He feels the pressure, we all do. I don't think it's possible to completely avoid feeling the pressure, but he's able to find a space in his mind where he can put it aside and focus on what's important. The question remains: will Max Verstappen be able to prove Sebastian Vettel right by maintaining his focus and performance in the last two races and secure a fifth consecutive championship? He would then become only the second driver in history to achieve this feat after Michael Schumacher with Ferrari between 2000 and 2004.