For the first time in quite awhile, Max Verstappen will start behind a Red Bull teammate - a fact that has Damon Hill wondering whether the Dutchman was caught off guard by Sergio Perez's pace. The last time the Dutchman was beaten on merit in qualifying was back in 2018, when Daniel Ricciardo got the better of him at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hill believes Perez's performance will go a long way towards solidifying his place at Red Bull, as Verstappen has been dominant on Saturday's in the past. "There was a lot of unexpected things in that session," Hill stated on Sky Sports. "It's surprising that Mercedes thought it was unexpected that they were on pole position. They clearly didn't see it. "Max certainly didn't see that Perez [would out qualify him]. We were saying what was he gonna do to kind of get on top of the number two seat in the Red Bull team. Well, he's done it. "I've never lost my faith in Sergio. He's solid, a really great driver." Both Red Bull drivers were beaten by Lewis Hamilton, who claimed the 99th pole position of his career. Hill credited the reigning world champion for making it look easy. "It was interesting looking at Lewis' lap," Hill added. "He really didn't take any risks. It was as neat and as tidy as you'd expect from a seven times world champion."
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