Verstappen dominates the sessions to secure first place in the Austrian classification.
Max Verstappen attributed his dominant leadership in the qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix to adjustments made to his Red Bull Formula 1 car.
Verstappen took advantage of Red Bull’s continued domination this season, matching the record for consecutive pole positions with seven straight wins from Bahrain to Imola.
However, in the three previous rounds, Verstappen was narrowly defeated as rival teams closed in on Red Bull.
Although there was only a three-tenths difference between second and seventh place on the leaderboard, Verstappen led Q3 with a 0.414s advantage over McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Verstappen, who has now achieved seven consecutive pole positions at the Red Bull Ring since 2021, expressed his satisfaction with his RB20 car standing out on a single lap.
“The whole session went extremely well,” Verstappen recalled. “The car was in a better state. I could push harder and trust the grip and balance of the car.
“It was a very enjoyable experience. I managed to progress in Q1 without using a new set of tires, and that strategy paid off.
“From that point on, we focused on adjusting the balance of the car. Every lap I did was great.
“And then it was all about nailing every corner. It’s been a while since I felt so confident in the car, especially considering the difference.
“In the last few races, I’ve always been very close to the front or behind. So, this was definitely a positive result for the team.”
Verstappen expressed his optimism before the Q3 showdown, believing that an error-free lap would give him a strong chance of surpassing his competitors.
“I felt confident,” he revealed. “I knew that if I made a solid lap, it would be enough to secure pole position, and that’s exactly what I did today. And that’s what matters.
“As a team, we worked hard to improve our competitiveness compared to the last rounds, and it seems to have paid off.
“So I’m definitely satisfied with that. Of course, in qualifying, you always strive to deliver perfect laps. Some are better than others.
“This one was certainly very good. I’ll probably never say it was a perfect lap, but it was a solid performance.”
When asked about his reaction to the significant advantage he had over the competition, Verstappen expressed his surprise. He acknowledged that the track was short, which contributed to the difference. However, he also felt confident in the performance of his car and the balance it provided, allowing him to push and attack the corners. In his opinion, this explained the considerable margin.
The expectations before the crucial session suggested a fierce battle for the first position, as Verstappen had been slightly faster than Norris in the Sprint Qualifying. However, as Q2 unfolded, the three-time Formula 1 champion seemed unbeatable. He attributed his success to the adjustments made to his car, which gave him the desired stability and connection between the front and rear. These seemingly small changes had a significant impact on his lap time. Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with this result, considering the challenges they had faced in previous races and the difficulty of comparing their pace with previous years.
Despite McLaren’s competition, Verstappen emerged victorious in the previous Sprint race. Now he feels optimistic about his chances of achieving a double victory tomorrow. He believes that the better balance of his car will also benefit the tires during the hot and long race. Taking care of the tires will be crucial, and Verstappen and his team are determined to do just that.
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