F1 News: Max Verstappen Praised For 'Magic Lap' Recovering Mexico Qualifying Blunder

Saajan Jogia | 5 Hours Ago

Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen talks to team mates at the starting grid at the Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez-Imagn Images / Aaron E. Martinez/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has praised Max Verstappen for his "magic lap" in Q3 of Saturday's qualifying session which saw him recover to the second spot. The Dutchman will start on the front row of the Mexico City Grand Prix after a series of challenging free practice runs on Friday.

The Red Bull driver started off the Mexico race weekend with engine problems on his RB20 F1 car. The challenges surfaced as early as the first practice session, with Verstappen reporting a problematic noise from the Honda power unit. Although the team worked to diagnose and address the issue after FP1, the problem persisted. Matters worsened during FP2, where Verstappen’s time on track was notably limited.

In response, Red Bull opted to replace Verstappen's engine ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix. Fortunately for his championship lead, with Lando Norris trailing by just 57 points, the team utilized an engine already within his season's allocation, allowing him to avoid any grid penalties for the upcoming race.

In his first lap in Q3, his time was deleted for exceeding track limits, which left him with just one more lap to outperform Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. Despite setting a time of 1:16.171, he was unable to match Sainz's blisteringly 'smooth' 1:15.946. Speaking to Sky F1 DE, as reported by Racingnews365, Marko remarked that Verstappen remained determined to secure a spot on the front row despite having his first lap deleted. He said:

"No, we lost three to four tenths in the third sector and had to get that under control.

"Then it would look good, which turned out to be the case. And of course it was another magic lap by Max. After his lap was cancelled, he kept his nerves in check again and drove a perfect lap."

The 81-year-old advisor also credited Red Bull's engineers for quickly setting up the RB20 and noted that Mexico's warm temperatures appeared to benefit the car's performance. He added:

"We have to praise the engineers, a big compliment to them.

"They found the right direction for a car working in a narrow window. 

"I would also say that the higher temperatures, close to 13 degrees [warmer], helped us."

While Red Bull's resilience shines through as it tackles each challenge with determination, the same can’t be said for Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez. He qualified a disappointing P18 at his home race, citing significant braking and tire management issues similar to those he struggled with at the Austin circuit last weekend.