Sebastian Vettel has praised double World Champion Max Verstappen for “immediately” understanding “situations”, with the four-time World Champion hailing the Dutchman’s “feel for the car”.
Vettel and Verstappen are undoubtedly the two greatest talents to have come out of the Red Bull Junior Team, with the duo having claimed six World Championships between them.
Following his astonishing 2022 campaign, Verstappen is now just three wins behind Vettel’s total for Red Bull, with the German having tasted glory 38 times whilst racing for the Austrians.
It comes as a result of Verstappen having won 15 races in 2022, an accomplishment which saw him eclipse Vettel’s and Michael Schumacher’s joint record for most wins in a season.
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To top it all off, the 25-year-old beat another record that Vettel held, for most points scored in a single campaign.
Verstappen astonishingly accumulated 454 points this year, which saw him comfortably claim a second consecutive World Championship.
The argument has been raised by many as to who is the greater driver between Verstappen and Vettel, with the Dutchman still needing two more titles to match the German’s four.
Whilst he does still boast the title of most successful Red Bull driver, Vettel is quick to label the imperious Dutchman has “incredible”, in several different aspects.
“[For example] manoeuvres, in terms of overtaking, and [at] certain track conditions,” Vettel told Servus TV
“He already has an incredible feel for the car, incredible control and enjoys situations extremely quickly.”
Continuing his discussion on Verstappen, the former Aston Martin driver recognised the 25-year-old’s ability to pull off manoeuvres that nobody else what even consider attempting.
Verstappen shocked virtually everyone at the 2021 season finale on the final lap, where he dived up the inside of Lewis Hamilton at Turn Five, something that caught the seven-time World Champion completely off guard.
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The Dutch driver has pulled off several moves since his rookie season in 2015 that have left fans and drivers watching on in awe, with Vettel adding that you simply have to “take your hat off” to the Red Bull star.
“To try it so quickly and immediately, you can only take your hat off to that,” Vettel said.
“I hope it continues like that for him and that he has fun above all.”