Max Verstappen has become Formula 1 world champion for the third time after clinching the 2023 drivers' title in the Qatar GP Sprint on Saturday; watch the Qatar Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 at 6pm on Sunday, with build-up from 4:30pm
Saturday 7 October 2023 22:07, UK
Max Verstappen has revealed this year's title triumph is his best compared to his previous 2022 and 2021 championships.
Verstappen's second place in the Sprint and Sergio Perez's retirement sealed a third consecutive title for the Dutchman, who is just the 11th driver to win three championships.
The 26-year-old has won 28 of the 38 Grand Prix (74 per cent) since the start of 2022 including 13 of the 16 so far this year.
"This one is the best one. I think the first one was the most emotional one because that's when your dreams are fulfilled in F1. But this one has definitely been my best year," said Verstappen.
"The most consecutive wins and stuff, the car itself has been probably in the best shape as well. So for me, this one is the most proud of in a way because of consistency."
With constructors' champions Red Bull starting this season even further ahead than they finished the last one, Verstappen has taken full advantage in an RB19 car he appears at one with.
Although team-mate Perez split the wins with Verstappen in the opening four rounds, the world champion subsequently reeled off a stunning record-breaking sequence of 10 in a row to quickly make his 2023 coronation a question of when and not if.
Red Bull have failed to win just one race so far in 2023, the Singapore Grand Prix, and Verstappen never expected to become a multiple champion.
"It's something I never even dreamt of. It's, of course a very proud moment for myself, for my family, everyone within the team I'm working with. To experience all this together is amazing," he said.
"Of course we talk about performance and you can always thank the team for that. I also find the whole atmosphere and how much I enjoy working with all these people, I find that probably even more important.
"It's very important to come to the track and know that you have nice people to work with."
Verstappen is already fifth on the all-time winners' list and is just two wins away from his 50th victory in F1. Alain Prost is next on the list on 51 wins, with Sebastian Vettel on 53, Michael Schumacher on 91 and Lewis Hamilton on 103.
The Red Bull driver believes he can operate at his current level for "quite a few more years" and is still hungry to win more.
"I keep trying to improve. I don't necessarily think I become a faster driver but you have a lot more experience in the car," he said.
"You grow as a driver, you grow so I think as a person in life and I think all these kinds of things you know when I compared to my first season in F1, they help you a lot in terms of just dealing with every kind of pressure, situations throughout the weekend, everything that might be thrown at you and difficult conditions for example.
"In the end it's all about trying to deliver every single weekend which is I think very difficult in F1."
Team principal Christian Horner added: "The way he has driven this year has just been out of this world. Everything he has done this year has been just phenomenal.
"He's the most competitive driver that I've ever met. He's up there with the very, very best. This season has just surpassed anything we have ever seen. We did a lot of winning with Sebastian [Vettel] but this has taken it to another level - and he's still just 26. I think he's still going to get better."
Sunday October 8
Watch Max Verstappen's first race as a three-time world champion in the Qatar GP on Sunday live on Sky Sports F1. The race starts at 6pm with build-up from 4.30pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW for £21 a month for six months
