“Max Verstappen was significantly faster,” Christian Horner disappointed with the abrupt end due to Sergio Perez’s crash
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Christian Horner was left disappointed with Sergio Perez's late qualifying crash.
With the qualifying session for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix complete, both of the Red Bulls will start behind the Ferraris, who have secured a front-row lockout. Charles Leclerc will start on pole position with Carlos Sainz alongside him, then comes Sergio Perez with Max Verstappen slotting in behind him at 4th.
On a circuit like Monaco, barring some catastrophe during the race, a front-row lock-out and a pole position spell good omens for the driver (and team). But Christian Horner believes that Verstappen could have at least made the front row ahead of Carlos Sainz, even if he could not take pole position.
Sergio Perez has looked ahead of the Dutchman all weekend and even topped the last practice session. Verstappen has in fact looked uncomfortable at times. But the Dutchman was, in fact, ahead of both Carlos Sainz (-0.112) and Sergio Perez (-0.064) on his final run, at least during the first sector. That is, of course, when Sergio Perez spun into the barriers on turn 8 at Portier, which brought out a red flag. Carlos Sainz was unable to take avoiding action, and the rear of his car went into the right-front tire of Perez’s Red Bull.
Also Read: WATCH: Sergio Perez suffers heavy car damage after crashing into the barriers in Monaco
Christian Horner: “Verstappen was significantly faster”
Talking to Sky Sports, Christian Horner said:
“I don’t think pole was in it. Charles was powerful. Congratulations to him, because we couldn’t have set that time. It’s a shame, both drivers could have improved. Max went significantly faster.”
He admits that Perez has had the pace all weekend, but was left disappointed with having no car on the front row. Max Verstappen had been in a similar situation during last year’s Monaco qualifying when Charles Leclerc had crashed towards the end of the session, which had also brought out a red flag. But Verstappen had eventually triumphed during the race.
“Checo has been fast all weekend. It’s disappointing not to have a car on the front row, but we will fight from there.”
Horner hopes that the race will provide opportunities for overtaking and a better result in order to extend their leads.
“It’s the second year in a row that it happens to him. There’s nothing more frustrating than being on a lap where you can see you’re going faster. We fight as hard as we can. The weather, safety cars, anything can happen. We’re still on the second row so it’s good to be disappointed about that.”
It is impossible to know if Verstappen would have gone faster over the whole lap than either Sainz or Perez if there was no crash, but it was certainly possible, and the Dutchman would be sorely disappointed. He would hope to have better fortune in tomorrow’s race.
Also Read: Carlos Sainz disappointed with Sergio Perez’s crash: “I couldn’t go for pole”
Also Read: “I’m so incredibly happy!” Charles Leclerc gleeful with Monaco Grand Prix Pole and his F1-75
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