Formula 1: “This title is the most beautiful, it’s the one I’m most proud of,” relishes triple world champion Verstappen

You are officially a three-time world champion. What does this inspire you?Max Verstappen: It's fantastic. I am very proud of the team's work. I am happy to be part of this group. To be a three-time world champion is incredible.

Did you think you'd ever achieve this? It's something I could never have imagined. It's a great pride for me, for my family, for everyone I work with within the team. Being able to experience this together is incredible. We always talk about performance, but being able to experience this atmosphere and enjoy working with these people on a daily basis is even more important.

Where do you rank this title among the three you have won? This title is the best. I think the first one was the most emotional because it was a dream come true in F1. But this one is the best because it was my best season, in terms of victories and because the car was incredible. This is the title of which I am most proud for my consistency.

When you drove the RB19 for the first time in February in Bahrain, did you say to yourself that this car would take you to that third title? It's hard to say. It always looked good and with good balance, but you never know how other teams' cars will perform. We expected them to be closer to us in Bahrain and we were all very positively surprised, but it remains only one circuit; but when we went to other circuits and saw that it was still fast, especially in races, it was very promising.

Also readFormula 1: Is Max Verstappen already the greatest driver of all time?

At what point in the season did you think the title couldn't escape you? Never until today! Of course, when I was on my way (of victories) and I saw that the gap was growing race after race... But I was just trying to stay focused and win weekend after weekend rather than to dream of the title. Dreaming about the title doesn't get you anywhere, rather it's all the effort you put into getting there that matters.

Do you think you have raised your level further this season? I am always looking to improve, but obviously I have also gained experience and that helps me to be faster. I have grown as a driver and as a person and when I compare with my first season in F1, these aspects have helped me a lot, for example to face high pressure situations or when the conditions are difficult.

How many titles do you hope to win? I always want to win as much as possible but it will depend a lot on the car, that's how it works in Formula 1. So I'm enjoying the moment. I'm still young, even though I've been in F1 for a long time, so it will take me a few more seasons to reach my best level. We'll see. But I think the question is more: how long will I want to be there? At some point I'll say to myself, "I've had enough, I want to do something else." But it’s not for now!

Do you realize that you have already left a mark in F1 history? I am not in Formula 1 to leave a legacy or chase records. I'm here to win and have fun with those who allow me to achieve this because I never imagined it would be possible.

Comments collected at a press conference