By alley - Dec 29, 2014, 12:18 PM ET

F1: Verstappen confident step up from F3 not too big

The Dutchman, who finished third in the Formula 3 European championship in his first season of car racing in 2014, will become the youngest driver in grand prix history when he lines up on the grid for next March's Australian Grand Prix at the age of 17. Verstappen believes the jump from karting to F3 was bigger step than the one from F3 to F1.

"Basically, the driving style from a go-kart to a formula car is completely different," said Verstappen. "In the end, the jump from a Formula 3 car to a Formula 1 car the main thing is the same, it's just happening much quicker.

"From go-kart to formula car it took a while to get used to, so I think that was a bigger jump than from F3 to F1. An F3 car is quite similar to an F1 car, just that you don't have so much horsepower, but the downforce is quite a lot for such a car. In general, the driving style is not that much of a difference."

HELP FROM JOS

Verstappen says having the help of his father and former F1 racer Jos has always put him one step ahead of his rivals.

"I already had good guidance from go-karts already, from my dad," he said. "He has always prepared me much better than kids of the same age.

"I was always ahead, in go-karts as well. When I was driving in the junior karts I was already testing a higher category, so when you jump back to the junior category everything seems too easy.

"We've basically always done it like that. I think my dad prepared me really well. We had a really good relationship, so I think for me it's a different story than another 17-year-old."

Verstappen is adamant that his situation with Toro Rosso is very different to that of his father, who jumped from F3 to F1 but struggled to make an impression during his career during his 106 starts in grand prix racing. (RIGHT: Jos Verstappen leads Tyrrell teammate Mika Salo in 1997.)

"I'm in a good environment here. It's more of a junior team so they are really there to prepare young drivers, so I think it's much better than how my dad started."