Horner Thinks 1st Row Start Was "Possible"

12:04, 24 Mar 2018
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Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has said that Max Verstappen could have started on the first row next to Lewis Hamilton, had it not been for his mistake in the last sector of his last lap that cost him almost half a second.
The rain that many were expecting (and Max Verstappen fans were waiting for) didn't come during qualifying, although during the third practice session earlier on Saturday it was still raining. Max Verstappen ended fourth for Red Bull, but Horner thinks that he could've ended better, wouldn't it have been for a mistake the Dutchman made.
"A small mistake from Max in turn thirteen cost him a couple of tenths," the Brit said.
"The Ferrari's weren't that much, so we could've ended up next to Lewis [Hamilton] on the grid, but unfortunately it didn't end up that way."
The other Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo qualified as fifth but he'll have to start from eighth due to a grid penalty the Aussie received during free practice.
Red Bull will also be racing on supersofts instead of the new, softer hypersofts, which should pay off over the length of the race, Horner said.
"We've chosen to go with a different strategy than the other teams when it comes to compounds."
"Our long runs looked good, so I think tomorrow we'll have an advantage long-term in the race, but we'll see how effective it really is tomorrow."