Verstappen sees little improvement in speed: "You either have that talent or not"

Max Verstappen is enjoying his most successful Formula 1 season to date. He leads the championship by twelve points over title rival Lewis Hamilton, and seems to be at the peak of his career. However, at 23 years of age, he still has many years ahead of him.

How good can Verstappen get?

Hamilton shows that age does not have to be a limiting factor, because he too will be driving better than ever in 2021. What will it look like for Verstappen in ten years time? At least when it comes to pure speed, he doesn't think there's much to improve on. "You either have that talent or you don't," he says in an interview with Crash.net. "You can't be faster one year and slower the next."

Possible improvement, he says, therefore lies in other factors. "With experience over the years I think you start to understand the car better, as well as the tyres, circuits and good and bad situations you've been in. Because in the end it's the small details that make the difference in Formula 1," he continues. "That's what gives you that extra bit of confidence, preparation and understanding in those decisive moments where you're driving a good lap or just being competitive. I think that gets better every year and you always keep learning."

He makes a comparison with footballers, who may get a little slower physically over the years, but can compensate by understanding certain situations better. "Ronaldo is a good example of that. He's not as fast as he was five or six years ago, but still he gets better because of his experience and awareness in those situations," Verstappen finishes.