As has often been the case this season, Friday did not go as hoped for Max Verstappen and Red Bull; however, Saturday brought the reward for hard work. “We made a lot of changes to the setup, even after the third free practice. And we moved in the right direction,” the Dutchman concluded in Zandvoort after the qualification.
That Verstappen was extremely pleased with the third spot on the starting grid is no wonder; it could be considered a reward. After the first two free practices in his home country on Friday, it was still a question of how realistic a podium place on Sunday would be. However, after the qualification, the chances are considerably high. Thanks to the hard work of the team and the driver.
In an initial reaction afterwards, Verstappen spoke of “the best feeling so far in the car this weekend.” He explained further. “Everything came together in the qualification. That we are not at the level of McLaren (Oscar Piastri and Norris occupy positions 1 and 2, ed.) is clear. We are not the strongest, but it is certainly not bad. Let’s hope for something beautiful during the race. I know we can stay ahead of the cars behind me. And what happens in front of me, I have no control over. But we have certainly moved in the right direction with the adjustments to the car and that is nice.”
