Verstappen explains why he finds himself 6th on the Austin grid

The Red Bull Racing driver briefly held pole position before his best time was erased for failing to respect the track limits at COTA.

Published on 21/10/2023 à 10:36

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Verstappen explains why he finds himself 6th on the Austin grid

Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko had happier sessions at Red Bull Racing / © DPPI

Subscribed to the front of the grid this season (10 pole positions before the United States Grand Prix), Max Verstappen had to settle for 6th time Friday evening during qualifying at COTA.

The three-time world champion thought for a moment that he had won an 11th pole when his final attempt launched in Q3 placed him 0 ahead of the Ferrari de Charles Leclerc.

Unfortunately for Verstappen, his time was quickly erased. The cause ? Crack Red Bull Racing had veered too wide at turn 19, one of the most complex to negotiate on the Circuit of the Americas.

The course management has clearly learned the lesson of Losail (Qatar) by acting immediately to avoid any confusion.

After the session, Verstappen explained that he had tried to attack as much as possible in this famous turn 19 in order to compensate for an error made during the first braking on his last flying lap.

« I knew it was going to be very close because I made a small mistake at turn 1, said the Dutchman. I really had to push for the rest of the lap. We were on the razor's edge.

I didn't even understeer, I just tried to maximize the turn and misjudged the situation. When you evolve so much at the limit, the difference comes down to infinitesimal gaps. »

Fine margins for Max Verstappen 😩

The Dutchman grabbed provisional pole but his time was deleted for track limits #USGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/IFMQpM2MaE

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 21, 2023

Crowned in the Qatar Sprint, Verstappen was not collapsed after this setback. He was even happy to have the opportunity to come back during the GP.

« Of course, it's a shame but it will make Sunday's race more fun », concludes Verstappen, whose teammate Sergio Pérez had to settle for 9th fastest time in Q3 after another disappointing session.

The start of the 2023 United States Grand Prix will take place on Sunday October 22 at 21:00 p.m. French time, with Saturday again devoted to the Sprint Shootout (19:30 p.m. in France) and the Sprint (midnight).