After taking pole in Friday’s Sprint and winning the short race on Saturday, Max Verstappen set the pace once again in qualifying for the Austin Grand Prix. The four-time world champion secured pole position despite a session marked by high temperatures and unpredictable wind.
“In every segment the car felt really strong,” Verstappen explained after qualifying. “Putting a lap together here can be tricky because it’s very hot and the wind is strong. In the first sector, having a tailwind makes it quite a challenge.”
The Red Bull driver then described the key moment of Q3, when a small mistake during his out lap on the second run didn’t prevent him from taking pole: “The first sector was good, I improved compared to Q2. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do the final attempt — I messed up a bit on the out lap — but luckily it wasn’t needed. It’s a very positive result.”
Compared to Friday’s Sprint qualifying, Verstappen pointed out the tougher track conditions: “Today the wind was stronger, completely behind through all the ‘S’ corners and that makes you lose downforce because the car moves around much more. You can make up some time in other corners, but you can’t attack the first sector with the same confidence as yesterday.”
A pole earned through experience, control and a touch of luck. Verstappen once again proved to be the man to beat, but tomorrow, the Texas wind could shake things up: the Dutchman will need to defend his lead on a circuit where precision matters more than outright speed.
Read also: The formidable Verstappen in a poor Red Bull: the distorted image of Formula 1
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