Max Verstappen after the sorry: “I was a bit confused” / Formula 1

Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen sets more records: With his best time at the Shanghai International Circuit, he secured his 100th place in the premier class for Red Bull Racing, the RBR celebration is sweetened by Sergio Pérez’s second place on the grid of the nation.

Red Bull Racing is the sixth GP racing team to achieve 100 or more poles in Formula 1, after Ferrari (249), McLaren (156), Mercedes (137), Williams (128) and Lotus (107). For RBR it is the fourth pole at the Shanghai International Circuit, after Sebastian Vettel in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

This makes Max the first driver since Mika Häkkinen in 1999 to win poles in the first five GP weekends of the season. It is Verstappen’s sixth in a row (with the 2023 Abu Dhabi World Cup final) and his first final in China. Verstappen was fastest in every qualifying section.

Six consecutive poles, only Ayrton Senna (8 consecutive poles), Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (7 consecutive poles each) have done better in Formula 1.

Verstappen’s face says it all. He is very satisfied. But Verstappen also admits: “To be honest, I was a bit confused. At the beginning of the third part of qualifying I was faster than at the end of Q2 and I couldn’t understand that.”

“At the moment we only have one explanation for this: the wind had changed, and cars here in China are very sensitive to changes in wind direction.”

“In the second test in Q3 everything felt normal again and I was able to improve, although I didn’t know what to expect. But suddenly everything fell: the balance was very good, the grip felt normal again, and in a moment like this, when the car encourages you with a lot of confidence, then you can attack a lot.

On Red Bull Racing’s 100th round, Max Verstappen said: “Team boss Christian Horner came to me before qualifying and said we can do this here. I said, ‘OK, let me try.’ I am very pleased that our team was able to reach this milestone.”

What does Max expect from the race? “I got a rough idea of ​​what to expect in terms of tire wear. But we have to expect that the wind direction will change again and that will again affect the balance of the car. If the car is only half as good as it was in the race, then we can looking forward to a good position in the Grand Prix.”

Qualifying, China

01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:33,660 minutes
02. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, 1:33.982
03. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, 1:34.148
04. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, 1:34.165
05. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, 1:34.273
06. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 1:34,289
07. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, 1:34.297
08. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, 1:34,433
09. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, 1:34.604
10. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, 1:34.665
11. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, 1:34,838
12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Racing Bull, 1:34.934
13. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, 1:35,223
14. Alex Albon (T), Williams, 1:35,241
15. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, 1:35,463
16. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, 1:35,505
17. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, 1:35.516
18. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, 1:35,573
19. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, 1:35,746
20. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, 1:36,358

Sprint, Shanghai International Circuit

01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 32:04,160 minutes
02. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +13,043 sec
03. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +15,258
04. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +17,486
05. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, +20,696
06. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +22.099
07. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +24.713
08. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +25,696
09. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, +31,951
10. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +37.398
11. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Racing Bull, +37,840
12. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, +38.295
13. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, +39,841
14. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, +40,299
15. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +40,838
16. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, +41,870
17. Alex Albon (T), Williams, +42,998
18. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, +46,352
19. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, +49,630
outside
Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, tire damage

World Championship Position (after 4 out of 24 Grands Prix and 1 out of 6 Sprints)

the driver
01. Verstappen 85 points
02. Perez 70
03. Leclerc 64
04. Sainz 59
05. Norris 40
06. Plate 34
07. Russell 25
08. Alonso 24
09. Hamilton 17
10. Walk 7
11. Tsunoda 7
12. Oliver Bearman (GB) 6
13. Hulkenberg 3
14. Magnussen 1
15. Alboni 0
16. Zhou 0
17. Ricciardo 0
18. Okon 0
19. 0 gas
20. Bota 0
21. Sergeant 0

Builders Cup
01. Racing Red Bull 155 Punkte
02. Ferrari 129
03. McLaren 74
04. Mercedes 42
05. Aston Martin 33
06. Running Bull 7
07. Especially 4
08. Williams 0
09. Sauber 0
10. Alpine 0