Verstappen explains expectations: "A clean start and standing on the podium"

A third place was the maximum possible for Max Verstappen on Saturday in Imola. It is a familiar sight this season that Mercedes is taking the front row of the grid, with the Red Bull Racing car right behind it. Although the gap to Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in qualifying was still large, the Dutchman has hope for the race.

"I'm feeling good. Because of the problem with the spark plug, the gap to Mercedes was not the actual gap. I didn't expect to beat them but we should have been closer. Luckily I'm still in my normal position so we'll just try to have a clean start to see if we can follow them and try to get on the podium," says Verstappen to the official channels of F1. 

A podium would be good

"To be honest, it is always difficult to predict what will happen. It's pretty narrow towards turn two. In the end, you don't win the race at the start and you can only lose there. We have to see if we have the speed to stay with them, I hope so. In general, I expect them to be faster."

So Verstappen expects it to be a boring third place in Imola.

"Yesterday the third place was fine. We would have preferred to be a little closer to Mercedes, but today we have plenty of opportunities. I myself expect Mercedes to be faster, but if we could be on the podium that would be good," the Dutchman concludes.