Verstappen has been doing really well in the 2024 F1 season, getting pole position in every race. In the sprint qualifying session at Shanghai International Circuit, he was doing great until it started raining. This made things uncertain because nobody had practiced in the wet here for five years.
During the final qualifying session, many drivers, including Verstappen, had some trouble. He even had two of his lap times deleted because he went off the track due to the rain. His best clean lap placed him fourth on the starting grid for the sprint race before the Chinese Grand Prix. But he was slower than the top driver, Lando Norris, by over two seconds.
Verstappen said he couldn’t get the tires to work properly in the wet conditions, making it feel like he was driving on ice. He believes their performance in the wet reflects where they deserve to be on the grid, considering how well they did in dry conditions.
Looking forward to the sprint race, Verstappen thinks starting on the left side of the grid puts him at a disadvantage because it’s not as good for racing. However, he hopes to move up the order during the race, especially if it’s dry. Red Bull’s tires usually last longer, which could help him gain positions over the 19 laps of the sprint race.
Starting from fourth place and dealing with the challenges of the track layout, Verstappen aims to make the best start possible and manage his tires well to make progress during the race.
