Max Verstappen explains pole defeat despite blistering GT3 qualifying pace

Max Verstappen has explained the reason he felt he was denied a shot at pole position on his Nurburgring GT3 debut. 

With qualifying at the Nordschleife delayed by 30 minutes due to fog, Verstappen ventured out on intermediate tyres to set an initial 8m46.694 on his first lap to claim provisional pole. 

He chipped away to an 8m:37s, before the change to slick tyres, where traffic on his best lap left Verstappen three seconds off pole and having to settle for third place aboard his Ferrari 296 #31 machine.

Reflecting, the F1 world champion was confident of a strong race.

"It actually went really well on the intermediates, the car was running super," the Dutchman said.

However, as the track dried and the transition to slicks came about for the field, Verstappen detailed the problem which cost him a shot at pole. 

"It's not easy to time your run well here," he added.

"On my last lap, I ran into way too much traffic to make a good lap.

"But everything is going really well. The tyres are good, so I believe that normally in the race everything should still be possible."