Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports on Monday that Sebastian Vettel has still yet to reach his peak ahead of the start of the German's bid to win three consecutive championships this season.
Vettel, who in 2011 added the distinction of being Formula 1's youngest double World Champion to his record of being the sport's youngest ever points scorer, race winner and single champion, goes in search of another piece of history this year as he aims to emulate Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher in winning three consecutive Drivers' titles.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Special Report, Horner said that Vettel would undoubtedly consider it a huge honour should he be able to match the feats of Fangio and Schumacher by the end of this year.
However, with the German only about to embark upon his fifth full season of F1, the RBR team principal reckons the sport has yet to see the best of its current benchmark driver.
"Sebastian's quite a humble guy and he almost can't believe the illustrious company that he sits with, with the achievements he's got in the sport," Horner said.
"He's an ambitious young man, he's hungry for more success, and I think he would feel hugely privileged if he were to join that elite group.
"And you forget how young he is - he's still 24 years of age. We've yet to see the best of him. He's still emerging and blossoming as a driver, as a talent, and I think there is some strong years to come from him."
While Vettel put together one of the most dominant seasons in history to win his second title at a canter last year, 2011 was a somewhat more trying year for his team-mate Mark Webber - who had to wait until the very final race for his sole victory of the season.
Horner, though, believes that the Interlagos win did the Australian the power of good heading into the winter and has meant he has come back fully refreshed for the new season.
"I think 2011 was a tough year for Mark, but he never gave up," he said.
"At times he didn't look like he enjoyed the 2011 season too much. I think the best tonic for him was winning that final race in Brazil, remembering what it's like to win a grand prix, to stand on the top step of the podium.
"That's the biggest thing that's across in the pre-season testing - he's enjoying driving the car, he's not putting too much pressure on himself, which perhaps he did at times last year."
A third consecutive Constructors' Championship for Red Bull this year would also put the Milton Keynes-based squad in an exclusive club and Horner admits they have "set the bar tremendously high" over the past two seasons.
He is aware though that the quality of driving talent at the sharp end of the grid is currently at its highest level for some time - if not ever - and that both Vettel and Webber will be made to work hard for any success this year.
"We've got six World Champions on the grid this year - which is a record pretty much within itself," Horner added.
"The two Brits at McLaren are both going to be strong. Jenson [Button] drove tremendously last year with phenomenal consistency; Lewis Hamilton's an obvious talent that, given the right equipment, will be right there.
"Fernando Alonso, everyone knows what his abilities are. The unknowns really are Mercedes and Lotus - are their cars going to be competitive enough to let their drivers run at the front?
"So it's set for a really exciting season. The quality of the field, I can't remember a time when there's been such strength in depth at the front of a Formula 1 field."