Max Verstappen clinched pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday despite punching in a lap that he believed to be ‘terrible’. The Red Bull star also revealed that second-placed qualifier Charles Leclerc shared his viewpoint.
The drivers were faced with an incoming storm as they headed out on track for Q3 at Interlagos with Verstappen setting a time that proved enough to claim pole position by just under three tenths of a second.
Leclerc couldn’t add to recent pole positions in the United States and Mexico with the Monegasque driver forced to settle for a P2 finish, putting him on the front row for Sunday’s race.
Third on the grid was a more surprising face as Lance Stroll beat team-mate Fernando Alonso to P3. The Aston Martin driver has come under plenty of pressure and criticism this season with that qualifying result proving a much-needed confidence boost.
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Speaking after securing pole in ominous conditions, Verstappen explained: “We didn’t know when it would hit in qualifying, we thought it would hit. This is of course insane weather.
“Charles and I were just discussing, our laps felt terrible, but I don’t know, I think the wind started to change and started to be very strong and we lost a lot of lap time because of it. It was all quite hectic in the last lap.
“It seems that it’s all very close. You could see that already in qualifying. I expect the same also in the race. Around here there’s also quite a lot of deg from the tyres. So it’s all about that management. Last year we didn’t get that right but I think we are a bit better this year.”
Leclerc was also mesmerised by the conditions in Sao Paulo, stating: “In my whole career I have never experienced something like that. From Turn 4 onwards there was no rain. But the car was extremely difficult to drive, no grip.
“I was thinking about coming in at the end of the lap but I finished it and it was P2. So a really good surprise. A very weird one for everyone at the track.”
Asked about his chances in the Grand Prix on Sunday, he added: “I don’t know about the race yet. In Sprint weekends there is always a big question mark on race pace. But I hope it will be a good one and hopefully there won’t be too much rain tomorrow and Sunday.”
