Laurent Mekies explains: This gives Max Verstappen hope despite a massive penalty

For Max Verstappen, qualifying at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace came to an end after just the first qualifying segment. This was not down to the four-time world champion’s performance on the rain-soaked track – he finished the first part of the final practice session in third place. Rather, it was because the Dutchman has to start from the back of the grid, having to drop to the rear of the field due to the use of a fresh power unit that exceeds the permitted allocation.

To save tyres, the 74-time Grand Prix winner pulled out after Q1, whilst his Red Bull Racing team-mate Isack Hadjar carried on and ultimately set the seventh-fastest lap. Due to the grid penalties imposed on George Russell and Charles Leclerc – who will both drop down the grid for using new engine components – the Frenchman will start from fifth on the grid.

Red Bull Racing: An instructive qualifying session on a wet track

Team principal Laurent Mekies explained after the qualifying session, which turned into a test of patience due to the rain-induced break of almost an hour and a half: “It was a busy day here in São Paulo; a lot of hard work went on behind the scenes. The team made a few changes overnight, and Max’s performance in the third practice session was a promising sign of the progress we’ve been able to make.”

“We knew that, due to the use of a new power unit and the associated penalty, we would have to adopt a different approach for Max’s qualifying run, particularly given the wet track we were racing on. We focused on learning as much as possible about the car without taking any unnecessary risks in these difficult conditions,” revealed the engineer, summarising Hadjar’s performance: “Isack secured fifth place on the grid after several drivers had to accept their grid penalties. This puts him in a good position for the race, even though he had naturally hoped for more following his strong Q2 performance.”

Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies expects an unpredictable race

The team principal knows that his drivers won’t have an easy time of it. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we now have a better idea of where we stand and know where we need to improve. The race will be a challenge, especially for Max, who has to start from far back,” he emphasised, explaining why he is nevertheless confident ahead of the 20th Grand Prix of the season: “We know how unpredictable races in Brazil can be.”

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“We’re continuing to focus on ourselves and are doing everything we can to make the most of every opportunity and give Max and Isack the best possible chance of working their way up the field,” Mekies added in conclusion.