Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in

Verstappen in qualifying confession after blistering pole

The World Champion secured a third straight pole position in front of his home crowd at Zandvoort in wet/dry conditions.

Max Verstappen says he and his Red Bull team "underestimated" just how much the wet weather conditions would affect Zandvoort during Dutch Grand Prix qualifying. Rain hit the coastal circuit for the first time since it's F1 return during Saturday, with both final practice and qualifying affected - although the track dried out towards the end of qualifying. Having initially struggled in the wet conditions, Verstappen was able to glide to the 29th pole of his career by over half a second from fellow front-row sitter Lando Norris in the McLaren. Despite the dominance, Verstappen conceded the team was unable to get on top of the changeable conditions.

Verstappen's weather concern

"We've been to some other places already where we have had wet races, but this was the first time we have come here with these kind of conditions," Verstappen explained after a third straight home pole. "We underestimated the wind and with the sun coming out, just how quickly the track would dry, but it is all about experience, and at the end of the day, it didn't matter. "We still did the right thing. "It was a very tricky qualifying, starting on the intermediate, but the track surface is quite slippery. "It was all about putting your lap in and staying out of trouble, and we managed to do that quite well. "At the end when we went onto the slick tyres, there was one dry line in some places. "I had to risk it a bit, but that last lap was very enjoyable."

x
REPORT Eye-watering Newey salary at Aston Martin revealed