Max Verstappen believes that without a tow during his Q3 attempts, he was always set to lose out to his rivals at the sharp end of the grid. He lines up fifth for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Dutchman believed it wasn’t only staying too long in his pit garage that cost him but the lack of tow down what is effectively the longest straight in F1, from turn 16 to turn 1 on the street circuit.
“I think my first run in Q3 was really good. It was really spot on that lap, but I didn’t get a tow. Then in the last sector you lose at least three or four tenths. This track, with a 2km straight, you needed, I wouldn’t call it luck, but you need to find someone.
“My second time out I was trying to find a gap, but by slowing down so much I cooled down the tyres too much and in the low speed corners there was a little bit too much understeer.
“I was still gaining three tenths on the straight by just having a tow like five seconds ahead, while other cars were closer to each other.
“On this track, you need that bit of luck sometimes, or a bit of a help on the straight, but we have a good race pace, a lot of things can happen.”
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