Horner waxes lyrical over one of Verstappen's 'best laps ever' that secured Suzuka pole

10:15, 05 Apr

byToby Nixon

Christian Horner was left in awe after Max Verstappen delivered a stunning performance during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. The Red Bull team principal called Verstappen’s pole lap "one of the best" he’s ever seen from the Dutchman.

Verstappen surprised everyone by setting a monster lap in the final stages of Q3. The Red Bull driver snatched pole position from McLaren's Lando Norris. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, lines up just behind the front two in third place.

Verstappen 'left nothing on the table'

"Max and his team have done a great job. Just getting the car coming into the window, getting the tyres in the right place and just putting everything together," Horner began to Sky Sports. The Brit highlighted the fact that Red Bull took advantage where McLaren couldn't capitalise today. "I think the McLarens if they could put their laps together, they're half a tenth quicker. But they didn't get laps together there, but Max, he left nothing on the table."

Horner went on to say that today's effort was one of the most impressive he'd ever seen from his driver. "That was one of his best laps, I think, in qualifying ever."

Yuki Tusnoda, who was recently promoted to Red Bull for this weekend, was disappointingly eliminated in 15th place in Q2. His predecessor, Liam Lawson, finished in 14th. Still, Horner has full faith in the Japanese driver.

"He (Yuki) was looking competitive, he was within a tenth of Max and just one place behind. Then in Q2, he hasn't actually improved, and that last run, I think he was a bit possibly too quick into Turn 1, he had a big moment in Turn 2, and then you're never going to recover it from there. It's a shame because I think he would've comfortably made the top 10 today, but he can still race well from there tomorrow," Horner concluded.

Max Verstappen will line up from first place in Suzuka as he hunts yet another Japanese Grand Prix victory. You can follow all the action from the weekend right here on GPblog.