The Pink Bull driver had shadowed rival Mercedes’ technique in doing his first Q2 run on the medium compound – with F1’s guidelines dictating drivers should begin the race on the compound they do their quickest lap on in that section.
Though he switched to the comfortable for his remaining run, it’s a frequent follow for drivers to do this and put in a fast banker over the opening section of the lap after which abandon it late on when their place in Q3 is assured.
Nonetheless, Verstappen stated that he and the workforce elected to finish the lap as a result of there was some concern that, with different drivers on comfortable tyres leaping them on the timesheets, they might get dumped out.
“It was simply because the others additionally have been on the comfortable they usually have been bettering their lap time,” defined Verstappen. “So when my lap time on the medium would have actually been on the sting for prime 10, we determined to complete that lap.”
Whereas the comfortable tyre won’t be very best for the technique tomorrow, as a result of its excessive degradation, it ought to give the Dutchman a bonus on the run all the way down to the primary nook initially.
Pole place man Lewis Hamilton reckoned there was a five-metre profit from having the comfortable tyre fitted, and it was this issue that has left Pink Bull with a little bit of hope.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB16B
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Group boss Christian Horner advised Sky: “We could not do the identical time as Lewis did on the medium, and we felt that possibly tactically, it is a totally different route. I would choose that tyre for the beginning tomorrow. So we’ll see.
“We have to drive an attacking race tomorrow. You understand how laborious it’s to overhaul round right here, so technique goes to be essential.”
Verstappen reckoned the Hungaroring weekend had to date been one the place Pink Bull was on the again foot in opposition to Mercedes.
“We have been a bit behind and it confirmed once more in qualifying,” he stated. “So yeah, not what we needed however nonetheless we’re nonetheless there in P3 and we’ll see what we will do.”