Verstappen ‘happy’ with P2, but front row spot undeserved

Max Verstappen expressed a mix of contentment and surprise after securing second place in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, narrowly missing pole to Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by just 0.018s.

The Red Bull driver, who will start alongside his long-time rival in Saturday’s Sprint, admitted that his Red Bull RB21’ pace didn’t justify a front-row spot, making the result an unexpected performance.

Verstappen reckoned that McLaren’s relative underperformance in the shootout session – with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishing respectively P3 and P6 – had also facilitated his runner-up position.

A Lap Well-Executed

Verstappen credited his performance to a near-perfect lap under tricky conditions.

“The lap was very good, it’s very tough when you go from a medium to a soft to nail the lap with no references,” he said, highlighting the Sprint Qualifying tyre rules mandating mediums for SQ1 and SQ2.

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“I do think that in first practice we were quite a bit off so I’m very happy to be on the front row.

“I mean, of course, when you look at it, it was 18 thousandths or something off of pole, but I don’t think we should have even been on the front row anyway, so I’m very happy to be second.”

Red Bull’s Pace Deficit

The Dutchman was candid about Red Bull’s lack of outright speed, a problem underscored by teammate Liam Lawson’s SQ1 elimination. Verstappen explained that the RB21’s issues weren’t about balance but raw pace.

“I don’t think the balance is massively off we’re just too slow, I would say,” he stated. “But this [result] is good for us, a little motivation boost I think as well for everyone.”

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The four-time world champion emphasized the importance of precision.

“We keep nailing the laps, we keep trying to maximise everything that we got and you need to do that as well when you’re maybe struggling a little bit more for pace,” he said.

Optimism for the Sprint

Looking ahead to Saturday’s Sprint, Verstappen adopted a cautiously optimistic outlook. While he expects a challenge from McLaren’s Piastri and Norris, he believes Red Bull can stay competitive.

“I think we’ve got a car to try and keep something because the McLarens didn’t look as quick today in that session as we thought they would be,” he observed.

“I think they looked very fast up until that last run, so I think it will be very hard to keep them behind, but hopefully it’ll be fun.

“We are all, I wouldn’t say close, but at least we can race a bit around, that would be nice for me.”

Verstappen’s runner-up spot, though unexpected, sets the stage for an intriguing battle in Shanghai.

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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.