After disappointment in Sprint Qualifying: Max Verstappen says what needs to be done

Max Verstappen’s frustration was plain to see as he stepped in front of the TV cameras after the first qualifying session of the Zandvoort weekend to discuss his performance in the session that had just ended. It left a lot to be desired, as Verstappen was more than half a second slower than pole-sitter George Russell in the Mercedes at the crucial moment.

The Red Bull Racing star, who has extended his contract with the Milton Keynes-based team until the end of 2030, completed the 4.259 km lap in front of his home crowd in 1:12.094, making him 0.527 seconds slower than the pole-setter from the Mercedes works team. He looked around the circuit with understandable disappointment as he remarked: “It was just tricky.”

“We didn’t manage to find the necessary grip or get the balance right enough to secure a place further up the grid. It was an improvement on the first practice session, mind you. But we’re still lacking the performance needed to achieve a better result,” the 71-time GP winner remarked in his usual dry manner.

A gamble for GP qualifying and race day

The four-time champion knows exactly what his team needs to do now: “We need to work out what adjustments we can make to the set-up so that we have more grip and can close the gap to the front a little.” A look at the Zandvoort statistics shows just how important a good starting position is on the Dune Circuit. All the GP victories secured since the Dutch circuit was reinstated in the World Championship calendar have been claimed by drivers starting from pole position.

There isn’t much that can be done about the Sprint itself, as the set-up can only be altered slightly before the mini-race takes place. The focus is instead on the Grand Prix qualifying session, which will take place after the Sprint. And Verstappen can take comfort in the fact that he and his team have often managed to turn things around overnight in the past. “It’s a gamble,” explains the fast Red Bull Racing star, who doesn’t want to rely on it. “Let’s see what we can manage overnight.”

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Zandvoort: Sprintrennen

FIA Formula One World Championship

22.08.2026 - 11:30