2022 British GP: Post-Qualifying reaction from Max Verstappen and Red Bull

Max Verstappen will line up on the front row at Silverstone for tomorrow’s British Grand Prix, with the Dutchman finishing behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz who claimed the first pole position of his career in mixed wet/drying conditions at the Northamptonshire circuit.

Sergio Pérez will start the race from fourth place behind the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc after a good final flying lap on an improving track put him ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

Max, in control throughout the opening two segments of a tricky qualifying session that was held in unpredictable conditions, was on course to claim top spot in the final moments of Q3, but when Leclerc spun ahead of him, the Dutchman was forced to back off in the middle sector and his final flyer was compromised. That left the door open for Sainz and the Spaniard delivered a mistake-free lap to take pole.

Max Verstappen (P2):

“It was a good qualifying, I felt comfortable out there. It was obviously very slippery on track, my 360-degree spin in Q3 was a new tyre warming technique [laughs], but overall I think we did a good job, we have a great race car. Q3 is sometimes a bit of a lottery, especially in the wet, so I couldn’t improve on my final lap as there was a yellow flag, I think that cost me pole position today. As you can see it’s all very tight at the front at the Ferraris are very strong. It will be a close battle tomorrow but hopefully we can finish ahead of them. The car is good in the wet and the dry, so if the car is working well during the race tomorrow then we should have a good chance of winning.”

Sergio Perez (P4):

“In these changeable conditions, today was a good result for us. I obviously wanted more and I am not fully satisfied but we can fight from there and I look forward. It wasn’t ideal but on the other hand I am not too disappointed because towards the end of Q3 I had Stroll right ahead of me, so my last two laps were not ideal and maybe there was a bit more in it without that hold up.

We found the issue in the car that was troubling us on Friday and in the race we will be a lot more competitive. It will be important to stay in the mix and have a strong pace in the race tomorrow, then things can look very different. We have made good progress so I will be confident hopefully we are able to give a hard time to the Ferraris, it is going to be tough but we will fight hard.”

Christian Horner, Team Principal:

“It was a good qualifying today from both drivers, in very tricky conditions. We got a bit unlucky with the yellow flags which meant Max lost around 3 or 4 tenths but we’re pleased to be on the front row with Checo up there on the second row, in a session like that, it’s a good place to be.

If tomorrow is a straight dry race, then strategy and tyre deg are going to be crucial, this year, we’ve seen our cars can follow closer which is going to be critical through Becketts, but if the beautiful British summer continues tomorrow it could all change so quickly, hopefully we can take the fight to Ferrari. Congratulations to Carlos today, he’s always been fantastic in the wet even when he was a junior for us, he did a great job and deserved the pole.”