Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner had mixed feelings after an action-packed qualifying session in Saudi Arabia that saw Sergio Pérez take pole position but Max Verstappen qualify out of position.
Verstappen looked on for pole position throughout the whole weekend but after a driveshaft issue, he was forced to abandon his efforts in Q2, leaving him to start fifteenth on the grid on Sunday.
The exit of the defending world champion created a closer-than-expected race for the top spot, but Pérez maintained his calm to win just his second pole position of his career with the first having been at the same circuit in last season’s championship a year ago.
“A tale of two qualifying sessions out there today. Firstly, a brilliant performance from Checo. He drove incredibly well and put down a fantastic lap which sees him on pole; his second pole here in Jeddah, back to back.
“On the other hand, its hugely frustrating for Max, a drive shaft failure knocked him out of qualifying when we were really just getting started in Q2. His lap in Q1 would have put him in P4 for the race tomorrow.
“It is a real shame, but we are already in the process of understanding the issue. Max has a mountain to climb from 15th, but knowing Max, he will rise to the challenge and it will certainly be interesting to see what he achieves.
“For Checo, its about sticking with the strategy, staying out of trouble and surviving those early lap. Plenty of action to come and plenty to look forward to.”
