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Max Verstappen missed out on pole position from what looked like an impressive lap after he had a brief lock-up and slid into the wall.
The Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas earned the team a front-row lockout as the Dutchman had to settle for P3.
In his post-qualification interview, Verstappen sounded disappointed with the result, knowing that the pace was there for the offering — although he found a silver lining in the aftermath of his mishap:
"I don't really understand what happened - I locked up and I still looked to keep the car on track - try to finish the lap, but clipped the rear and stopped. P3 is a bit dissapointing after knowing what lap I was on - but nevertheless shows that the car is quick"
That lap summed up Max Verstappen's 2021 season: So close, yet so far.
What next for Max Verstappen?
After a stellar, yet unfortunate, lap in Q3, there are concerns in the Red Bull camp and for the fans regarding damage sustained by Verstappen's gearbox. The Dutchman had to stop his RB16B after it clipped the barriers following a lockup.
A change in parts would thereby bring about a 5-place grid penalty, which is the last thing the Red Bull garage expects with the title clash right down to that wire. Max's lap clearly shows that they have the pace — but on a new, unfamiliar track like Jeddah — overtaking can be difficult.
The qualifying session presented quite a few sliding cars here and there, culminating in Verstappen's crash. In light of this, the tricky corners and extremely pacy track might call for Safety Car periods and potential red flags to bunch up the track closer together. That would mean a better shot for everyone within striking distance.
Max Verstappen and the Red Bull team will be looking to get back the advantage from the pole that they think slipped out, while the Mercedes pair at the front will attempt to deny them the opportunity in tomorrow's race.
For the time being, the start of the race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit looks to be fiery and exciting!
