Max Verstappen has revealed how set-up changes that induced increased bouncing were behind his struggle to sixth on the grid at Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Red Bull looked to be back on track in Baku as Verstappen led the opening practice session and then again headed the times in Q2 prior to the pole position shootout.
However, the Dutchman’s competitiveness in the closing stage regressed relative to his rivals as he dropped to sixth, over six-tenths down on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen wound up two spots behind Sergio Perez, who had not beaten his Red Bull team-mate under single-lap conditions in 33 rounds dating back to last season.
But Verstappen has conceded that he was braced to experience a challenging time as soon as he headed out onto the track in Q1 and endured accentuated bouncing.
“I already knew after the first run in Q1 that it was going to be difficult,” Verstappen told Viaplay.
“We changed a few things on the car and that made it very difficult. The car bounced a lot at the back when entering and exiting the corner.
“That made it very difficult, although Q2 went pretty well.
“But in the car it already didn’t feel good, I couldn’t optimise and I had just too much understeer. You don’t want that on a street circuit.”
Verstappen, though, has admitted he could’ve produced a better banker time in Q3 had he avoided losing vital momentum when he straddled the kerb exiting Turn 16.
“Q3 had to be better, but in the first run I had that little mistake in the last corner,” he acknowledged.
“The car broke out and in the last run I was bouncing a lot again. If you’re not completely comfortable then you can’t attack.”
Verstappen’s anguish was somewhat eased as Lando Norris, his closest rival in the championship, was eliminated in Q1 and will start 11 positions behind him in 17th.
However, the three-time F1 champion has expressed that the problems he encountered over one lap have not provided him with encouragement heading into the race.
“We changed some things [to the car], that’s a bummer,” Verstappen added.
“Of course, you always try to make the best of it.
“I’m not dejected in the car, but I knew it was going to be difficult. Even the long runs don’t go well when the car feels like this. We’ll see.”
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