Max Verstappen reveals sprint race 'shame' despite winning third consecutive title

max verstappen champion 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

Qatar Grand Prix

Verstappen reveals sprint race 'shame' despite winning third consecutive title

Verstappen claimed the title before the Sprint race had finished

Cal Gaunt

Saturday 7 October 2023 21:02

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Max Verstappen hailed his Red Bull colleagues after claiming a third consecutive world drivers' championship during the Qatar Sprint.

Verstappen now joins an elite list of three-time world champions including F1 legends Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet.

The Dutchman needed to finish only sixth in the Sprint to claim the 2023 crown, but when his team-mate and closest championship challenger Sergio Perez crashed out on lap 12 - the title was Verstappen's.

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In the immediate aftermath of the Sprint - which was won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri with Verstappen second - the champion paid tribute to his 'incredible' team and insisted that there is still work to do.

Verstappen won his third consecutive world title during the Qatar Sprint after Sergio Perez crashed out

Verstappen joins a number of F1 legends who've won three world championships

Verstappen proud of 'incredible year'

"It's a fantastic feeling," he told Sky Sports F1. "[It's] been an incredible year. Lots of great races, super proud of the job from the team. It's been so enjoyable to be part of that group of people.

"To be a three-time world champion is just incredible. We will keep on pushing, doing the best we can.

"Today was quite an exciting race, a bit of a shame with the Safety Cars, but overall it was fun out there. [I'm] just incredibly happy at the moment."

Oscar Piastri won his first race in Formula 1 in the Qatar Sprint

Verstappen: I couldn't catch Piastri

On Piastri's maiden victory in F1, Verstappen admitted that he simply wasn't able to catch the McLaren driver.

“Yeah he did a great race," he said. "It was not, I think that easy because we were on the medium tyres and there were some soft starters around us and they had a bit more grip in the beginning.

"But yeah he did very well, I tried everything I could to try and catch up but we came short at the end.

“We’ll just see what happens. I’m enjoying the moment and hopefully of course we can keep this momentum going forward.”