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Max Verstappen expressed frustration after a disappointing qualifying session at the Austrian Grand Prix, where McLaren’s Lando Norris took pole.
Reigning champion, Max Verstappen. (AFP Photo)
The truth may sting, but Max Verstappen appears to have moved beyond frustration—at least outwardly—after a disappointing qualifying session at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull star acknowledged that his team is currently nowhere near the pace of rivals McLaren, who dominated Saturday’s session.
Lando Norris delivered a stunning final lap to seize pole position at the Red Bull Ring, halting Verstappen’s recent dominance in qualifying at his team’s home track. The 25-year-old Briton posted a blistering time of 1:03.971, finishing over half a second ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (+0.521s). McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, the current championship leader, secured third on the grid.
Verstappen’s final attempt was thwarted by a yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s spin in his Alpine. Like Piastri, the Dutchman was forced to abandon his flying lap and ended the session in seventh place.
“Car Felt Bad Everywhere”
Clearly unsettled by the session, Verstappen didn’t hold back in his post-qualifying comments.
“The whole of qualifying didn’t go well at all,” he admitted. “There was no corner where the car felt good, so that is a huge problem in qualifying. It wasn’t nice to drive at all.
“I don’t think we’re strong enough to challenge the McLarens… They’re at another level, but hopefully tomorrow we can at least be competitive with Ferrari or Mercedes.”
Charles Leclerc was encouraged by Ferrari’s qualifying result and believes the team’s race pace could bring them closer to the front runners.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified a solid fourth for Ferrari, followed closely by Mercedes’ George Russell in fifth. Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson impressed in sixth, ahead of a frustrated Verstappen in seventh and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto in eighth.
Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli continued to show promise with a ninth-place finish in the second Mercedes, while Gasly rounded out the top ten despite causing the yellow flag that disrupted the final runs.
(with agency inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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