Furious Verstappen was ready 'to do some damage to someone'

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Max Verstappen admits he was right on the edge in Mexico after missing out on pole position, ready to blow his stack out at anyone who would have crossed his path at that moment.

The Red Bull driver was all set-up to become F1's youngest pole winner at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, but missed out by 0.026s as team mate Daniel Ricciardo reaped the benefits of his efforts.

The Dutchman was left in a state of absolute rage, but played down suggestions conveyed by his father, Jos Verstappen, that his fury had been fueled by Ricciardo's exuberant celebrations.

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"I was mainly very angry because of the problems I had with my engine during qualifying," Verstappen said.

"That weekend I was clearly fastest, but for 75 seconds I wasn't. I was literally pissed off. And of course everything little thing that comes with it makes me even more angry.

"I wouldn't even say it… But I could literally do some damage to someone if somebody would say something wrong to me after qualifying, that angry I was. Every little thing makes it even worse."

The 20-year-old also revealed that missing out on the opportunity to become F1's youngest poleman was not at the forefront of his concerns.

"For me I was not really after the youngest pole record. I don't think Lewis [Hamilton] really cares that he's not the youngest polesitter, with five titles, you know what I mean? It's not a big deal.

"Just fighting for pole, that was the target.

"For me it felt like I never really had a great opportunity, compared to some other qualifying sessions where felt like it was great, a good feeling, and then you're only P3 or P5 sometimes, but it felt like it was a good session.

"This felt horrible, and then you're still second by such a small margin."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.