Ecclestone praises Verstappen: 'Max is so strong mentally, he is special'

Ecclestone is happy for the three-time world champion to have so much success. "I don't know if we'll see another Max," The Daily Mail later quoted Ecclestone. "Max is a special person. Max is a special guy. He's a racer – in dry or the rain. He is so strong mentally. He always wants to win."

Ecclestone picks the best drivers ever in F1

Ecclestone - who has experienced virtually every legend in motorsport up close - was asked which driver is the best ever? The Briton came up with some striking options. "I think Alain Prost was as good as there was," he said. "He could never get any help. From the garage or the pits or over the radio. From the time the flag dropped until it was waved at the end, he was on his own. You have to take all these things into consideration."

Jochen Rindt, the only driver who became world champion after he died, is also rated very highly by Ecclestone. "Jochen Rindt was really talented, a special guy like Max. It's impossible to pick out one – they are different times – but Max is super-good, 100 per cent," Ecclestone concluded.

This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton