Among the greats: Red Bull boss hails Verstappen as 'most competitive ever'

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hailed newly-crowned three-time world champion Max Verstappen as "the most competitive driver I've ever seen" on Saturday after he clinched his third title at the Qatar Grand Prix.

As tributes flowed and the Red Bull team celebrated in their black "champion" t-shirts, Horner described the 26-year-old Dutchman as "phenomenal" and "out of this world".

READ | Piastri's first win, Verstappen's third title: F1 drivers react to 'stressful' Qatar sprint race 

His father Jos Verstappen, a former teammate of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher at Benetton, expressed his pride in not only his son's achievement but the manner of them.

Verstappen clinched his third title as he finished second in the sprint race behind rookie Australian Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who secured his maiden Formula One race win.

"Of course, we appreciate it (the championship triumph), but it's also the way he did it," said Verstappen senior. "He was so dominant this year and he delivered really well and I'm very proud of that.

"I knew it, his talent, a long time ago when he was in go-karts and I think we made the right decision in the beginning of his career and now it's up to him what he does. I'm just very happy with how he does it and how strong he is and the way he works for that."

Verstappen began his F1 career with the Toro Rosso team in 2015 aged only 17 before securing his first win just one year later at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, after moving to Red Bull.

That was the first of his 48 races to date in 179 Grands Prix. This season he has won 13 of the 16 Grand Prix races including a series of 10 in a row.

His calm, consistency and work ethic were most frequently praised by those close to him and the Red Bull