Max Verstappen credits Red Bull for giving him a car he feels more comfortable with, leading to his fastest time in qualifying for the Sprint at the United States Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s last pole position came in Belgium, but a grid penalty prevented him from starting at the front. He felt the car was more to his liking during the Sprint Shootout at COTA after being quickest in Austria in July.
“It was a positive day,” Verstappen said. “The car felt good from the first lap, and I was able to attack the high-speed corners. Sprint qualifying was challenging with the different tire compounds, but I managed to put in a decent lap.”
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Verstappen acknowledged that there were still some balance issues in the car but was pleased to be ahead of his competitors. He noted that Lewis Hamilton’s small mistake in Turn 12 affected his lap time as well.
Hamilton, who narrowly missed out on pole position, believes a yellow flag caused by another driver’s spin cost him the opportunity for a faster lap time.
“The team has made progress with the car, and I’m grateful for their hard work on the upgrades. Tomorrow is another chance for us,” Hamilton said.
