Immediately after the wet and challenging qualifying round for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Max Verstappen expressed satisfaction with his second-place time, albeit significantly behind pole-sitter Lando Norris. “It was very, very tough. No, this was not fun. I love racing in the rain, but this felt like ice,” responded the four-time world champion on the grid.
Verstappen struggled – just like his colleagues, of course – on the streets of Las Vegas with the conditions. The qualifying round began in the rain, which limited visibility due to spray. “You had to leave an eight-second gap to the car in front, because otherwise you simply couldn’t see what was happening in front of you.”
It was also a challenge to get the tires up to temperature and thereby gain sufficient grip. “That took a while. The wets worked a bit better for me than the intermediates, but in the end, you have to go along with it of course as the track evolved. In the final phase, we took more risks, but it was far from enough for pole. I’m satisfied with P2 and a spot on the front row.”
Max Verstappen said he was looking forward to the upcoming night race. He shares the front row with World Championship leader Lando Norris. “I hope the inside of the track has enough grip,” said Verstappen, who will not shy away from taking risks.
