Verstappen almost missed out on pole: "Luckily it ended well"

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F1 News

24 October 2021 at 00:49
  • GPblog.com

Max Verstappen can start the United States Grand Prix from the best spot on the grid. The weather was almost a spoilsport as it started to rain during the last flying lap. This didn't stop the Red Bull Racing driver from setting the fastest time.

How do you make sure you can set a pole lap despite the raindrops? "It's also a bit of the confidence in the car," Verstappen began on Ziggo Sport. "I was on a very good lap, then it started to drip a bit. In the last sector, you brake maybe a little bit earlier than you normally would."

Verstappen happy with steps made at Red Bull

"So I also lost a bit in the last sector," he continued. "I had already gained all my time up to turn eleven, but in the end it all ended well. Of course, it's not nice when that happens, but it's part of the job."

Is this pole extra important because Verstappen didn't expect it? "At every circuit that comes now you want to start as far up front as possible. To be honest, I didn't expect it before we started this weekend and after the first practice, but as a team I think we rectified it well again," said the Dutchman.