Breaking news
Formula 1 United States GP
Verstappen: Qualifying shows Red Bull has rediscovered form
Max Verstappen says United States Grand Prix qualifying showed his Red Bull Formula 1 team has rediscovered its performance and also made “a really big step forward” compared to 2018.
Scott Mitchell
Published: Nov 3, 2019, 2:44 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen will start Sunday’s race at the Circuit of the Americas from third of the grid after lapping with a tenth of Mercedes’ poleman Valtteri Bottas.
It follows his qualifying-topping pace in Mexico last weekend and represents a huge improvement on Red Bull’s United States GP form last year, when Daniel Ricciardo was more than a second off the pace.
“It was just very positive for us in qualifying to be that close,” said Verstappen. "Compared to last year we made a really big step forward and now the last two races we have been a lot more competitive.
“We are definitely improving and learning, and also looking ahead for next year, I think we are definitely going in the right direction.
“I am very pleased. We had quite a smooth weekend. I didn't really have a lot of trouble with the set-up or whatever.”
Read Also:
- Verstappen blames Hamilton for qualifying "close call"
- Hamilton: Ferrari has lost engine power in Austin
Verstappen entered F1’s summer break as arguably the form driver on the grid, with two wins and a first-ever F1 pole position from the four races that preceded the holiday period.
However, since then, Red Bull has struggled to compete and Verstappen has managed one podium in the last six grands prix.
Verstappen should have started the Mexican GP from pole last week but picked up a three-place grid penalty for a yellow-flag infringement in qualifying, then got forced off by Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap and picked up a puncture a few laps later.
Red Bull has been strong in Mexico the last two years, though, and Verstappen admitted getting validation of its recent progressed in Austin was important.
“Of course Mexico was very good but we also expected it to be competitive,” said Verstappen.
“But of course the races we had before that were not like we wanted so I was a still a bit ‘OK, let’s see if we found the performance back’.
“Clearly this weekend was very positive overall so I think we can be very happy about it.
“It’s a good effort from the team as well to not give up and just keep pushing and try to find the performance back like we also had actually before the break. That’s why I guess I sound a bit more positive.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Revealed: Mercedes cooling idea that F1 rivals are looking at
Next article Hamilton "not looking to pull out miracles" in Austin
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1 Jan 3, 2020
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1 Jan 3, 2020
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1 Jan 3, 2020
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Max Verstappen
F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?
Formula 1
Formula 1 3 h
F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 d
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
More from
Red Bull Racing
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
21 h
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Max Verstappen explains why he’s so good in the rain in Brazil
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 d
Max Verstappen explains why he’s so good in the rain in Brazil
Latest news
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
28 min
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
Iker Lecuona felt significant differences between Ducati's GP25 and GP26
The Kimi Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
2 h
The Kimi Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe