Max Verstappen will have a final chance tomorrow as he secured in Qualifying a starting P3 for the F1 Qatar GP. The Dutch driver is still in contention for the 2025 championship win, with his gap to leader Lando Norris increasing to 25 points after the earlier Sprint Race. In fact, among the three contenders, Verstappen was the one to earn less points in the shortened competition.
The Red Bull driver had encountered severe issues during Qualifying, which had seen him outperformed for the first time in the season by teammate Yuki Tsunoda. However, he still got some points out of the tough day, as he finished P4 in the 19-lap contest.
Not a great feeling, but a rather positive outcome
Take two was definitely more positive for the four times World Champion, who mentioned encountering less issues with understeering. Nevertheless, a very strong first and second sector aided Verstappen’s chances in Qualifying for the F1 Qatar GP. He described his laps afterwards, focusing on the not completely solved lack of feeling.
“It was better. Yeah, just trying to cancel out a bit the issues that we had yesterday, which felt a little bit nicer when it’s still there. Plus, yeah, just not really having enough front grip still, which is then limiting you a bit around the lap, around here, especially with all these like long medium speed corners.”
Tough to kick understeering issues
In spite of the rather strong overall performance, the Dutchman is not satisfied. Although he was able to secure a second row start, the main driveability problems he is encountering haven’t been completely fixed yet.
“That, basically, doesn’t allow you to push harder. And yeah, that is basically what happened also in qualifying. We tried to, of course, make the best out of it in terms of prep,making sure that we’re on top of everything with what we can change still. So it was all right. I mean, the final lap was good, but of course, yeah, just limited with the issues that I’m experiencing at the moment.”
Asked whether changes had been made to his Red Bull challenger between the two track sessions of the day, the reigning champion had a positive answer. However, he reckons that some aspects are tough to improve. In fact, he admits, they have been impacting their performance for quite a bit of time ahead of his outings at Losail.
“A few bits that we thought about that would help the car, which it did. Unfortunately, still some limitations that stay in there, but they have been in the car for a while now. You know, it’s not like it suddenly just arrived here and we don’t know how to solve it or whatever. It’s been a weakness for us on, well, in this season, especially.”
Everything for the win
Trying to secure a chance to extend his quest for a fifth F1 title in a row in tomorrow’s Qatar GP would mean everything to Verstappen. The Dutchman is clear about giving all of himself in the race. Even more so, his gola would be to secure the lead of the pack during the race start already, tacking into account track specifics.
“We’ll try everything we can. Start, turn one, all the laps. Well, if I don’t pass him, then he scores more points than me.”
The start, in his opinion, is going to be the pivotal moment of the race, taking into account how track positions crystallised during the Sprint Race already very quickly.
“It will be tough. I mean, in the sprint as well, like I tried, but then we just fall into that window where we just struggle a lot on the tyres and we don’t seem to really be able to keep up. Also that final lap, the few final laps of Oscar in that sprint, I need to cut a corner to do that.
“So it will be maybe a little bit better, but yeah, it will be tough, I think, to do that.Let’s see. It’s a long race. Anything can happen,” the Red Bull driver concluded, hoping for a strong run and performance.
