Max Verstappen described his front-row starting place at the Singapore Grand Prix as “like a victory”, having battled engine issues during qualifying.
Red Bull was off the pace through the three practice sessions around the streets of Marina Bay but vaulted into contention in a fight between the trio of leading teams during qualifying.
Verstappen emerged second only to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in Q3 as he bagged a front-row spot for the second successive year in Singapore.
It will mark the first time this season that the Dutchman will start from the front row of the grid.
“Honestly this feels like a victory,” he said.
“The amount of problems I’ve had today even in qualifying with the engine just not having a smooth run and cutting in torque so to be second in unbelievable but it shows that we have an amazing car.
“We just have to make sure we have a clean start and then from there on everything is possible.
“We do still have to sort the engine for tomorrow but at least I am very happy with the car.”
Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo was a low-key sixth and explained that he was unable to match the improvements made by his opponents.
“We were there, at least at the start of the session,” Ricciardo told Channel 4.
“We were not there this morning. We made some changes for qualifying. As a driver you know if a change works immediately. You can do a few corners and you know.
“In Q1 I was like, we are on. Even taking the lap time aside in Q1, just as a feeling you know what you’ve done has worked. So I was pretty optimistic.
“Then it felt like we couldn’t run with the track evolution as it went on.
“Everyone was able to find a second if not more, and we just stayed stalemate. For now I don’t know why. So that is frustrating.”
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