Christian Horner feels Red Bull Racing’s performance during Qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix gives the team confidence heading into Sunday’s race, with Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly set to start fourth and sixth respectively.
Verstappen’s first run saw him get to within a tenth of a second of qualifying ahead of Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, but he did manage to split the German from his Monegasque team-mate Charles Leclerc, who could only manage fifth, albeit with a slightly damaged car after running wide at turn nine and causing part of his bargeboard to break.
Stronger winds denied everyone an opportunity to improve on their second runs during the top ten shootout, which meant Verstappen was unable to better his time of 1:16.357s, leaving him fourth on the grid.
Horner, Red Bull’s Team Principal, was also pleased to see Gasly qualify sixth after his most accomplished Saturday performance of the season so far, and the combined results of the two drivers gives them hope for a strong result on Sunday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
“With both drivers progressing comfortably through to Q3, the first runs proved to be quicker as the wind probably felt stronger for everybody, and Max came extremely close to snatching third from Seb,” said Horner.
“Had it not been for a snap on the exit of Turn 15 on his last run, he might have even done it. Nonetheless, to qualify on the second row is a positive, and with Pierre up there in P6 gives us confidence going into tomorrow’s Grand Prix.”
