F1 News
Verstappen annoyed with Q2 exit but doesn't blame Red Bull for strategy
- Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
After getting eliminated in Q2 because of a red flag that hindered him from improving on his lap time, Red Bull Racing star Max Verstappen was annoyed at the result but didn't point a finger at his team for not letting him out earlier.
Verstappen found himself in the elimination zone after trying to make it through to Q3 on the medium tyre. However, the Dutchman did not have enough pace in his RB15 to make up for the slower tyre. He had to come out again for a second run, a run that didn't come until the very end of the session.
Then, disaster struck, as Haas driver Kevin Magnussen got his exit wrong at the Wall of Champions and had a massive crash, causing an immediate red flag for the session.
"Why bad timing, there was a red flag so what can you do," Verstappen reacted to Ziggo Sport when asked if he shouldn't have come out earlier for a second run.
"We didn't come out earlier because we chose to do one lap and we didn't expect someone to crash into the walls. It's unlucky and we tried on the medium tyre, but it didn't go well. The red flag, what can you do about it?"
The Dutchman qualified in P11 but will likely move up one or two places, with Magnussen likely needing new parts on his Haas and McLaren's Carlos Sainz being under investigation.