Verstappen: "We were further away than those seven hundredths"

In the qualifying session for the first ever sprint race held at Silverstone, Max Verstappen fell just short of qualifying in first place. In the final stages of the session the Red Bull Racing driver complained about the front tyres and understeer.

During the first free practice session, things were actually still looking very good for Verstappen and Red Bull. "I don't know what happened in qualifying, I didn't expect so much more grip. In the end I also had a bit too much rear wing, but the track was a lot faster all of a sudden for my feeling," he explained at Formula 1 Café on Ziggo Sport.

Gap was bigger than times showed according to Verstappen

According to the Dutchman, the gap to Lewis Hamilton was even bigger than the timesheet eventually showed. "If you look at the theoretical sector times he was at least two tenths ahead, so we were a bit further away than those seven hundredths. But I also had a lot of understeer where you really need to get that time on this track," he said.

"I don't quite understand why I had so much understeer, so we'll have to see where that comes from. I also put more front wing on it, but it didn't make any difference. But in the race you go through those corners a lot slower of course, so I don't expect to have that problem there," Verstappen said.