Max Verstappen was left to rue set-up changes as he qualified only P6 for tomorrow’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The three-time World Champion and teammate Sergio Pérez looked quick throughout practice, as Red Bull improved following a dismal showing at Monza two weeks ago.
However, come qualifying, the car was difficult to drive according to the 26-year-old, citing tweaks made between FP3 and qualifying.
Verstappen had been fastest in Q2, but he only improved by 0.019s in the final segment and finds himself down on the third row for the race.
A big error at turn 16 on his first lap cost him a shot at the front row.
“I mean it’s always difficult to know what will happen in Q3, but as soon as I went out in Q1, the first lap, I just felt the car took a step back.
“We made some changes, and the car just became incredibly unpredictable, difficult, just because of the changes that we made.
“I’m a bit disappointed with that, because you always try to optimise things and try to make it better, and unfortunately, I think we just tipped it over the edge.
“Shame that that happened into qualifying.
“Then my first run in Q3, I lost it in the last corner. Otherwise, you’re still fighting for P2, P3.“But then, you still have a run, you can still improve your lap time.
“And yeah, I just didn’t have the feeling in the car. I didn’t feel comfortable, because the car was difficult, and when you don’t feel comfortable, you can’t attack corners, you’re probably a bit under it, and yeah, that’s basically what happened.”
The 61-time Grand Prix winner explained why the car has been much nicer to drive this weekend. Verstappen had declared it undriveable and a monster following the Italian Grand Prix.
“No, no, no [it’s not a monster].
“I think we actually did improve the car, but now with the set-up, we tried to, of course, make a few things better, and unfortunately it went the other way.
“I think the balance disconnect [has been improved].
“I think, naturally, it’s anyway the track for it, but we’re still working and puncturing that further from now onwards, to try and just get the balance disconnect more together, let’s say it like that.”
Expanding on his qualifying woes and the lack of feeling he had in the car, Verstappen said the car was jumping around, hindering his performance quite significantly.
“Well, then we changed some things on the car, where the car just started jumping around a lot, so you lose contact pressure with the tarmac.
“Yeah, but I was not happy with the car [after going fastest in Q2]. Already from lap 1, Q1, so I knew that it was going to be a tough qualifying, regardless.
“I think my lap in Q2 was actually good, considering all the issues that I had, because, first thing, I was not happy with how the car was behaving. But, of course, you still try to do the best you can.”
Asked if the temperatures made a difference, Verstappen once again went back to the changes made ahead of qualifying.
“Well, I think it’s quite clear that what we changed in the car after FP3, that it just tipped it over the edge with the balance.”
Verstappen holds a 62-point advantage over Lando Norris heading into Sunday’s 51-lap contest.
While the Dutchman admits it has taken a bit of heat away with the Brit starting P16 tomorrow, he was disappointed with how things went for him in qualifying as Sergio Pérez beat the three-time defending World Champion on merit.
“Yeah, I mean, of course, but I still want to do good myself, and today was a bad day.”
