Verstappen encouraged by strong Red Bull qualifying

Italy: Max Verstappen said he was pleased Red Bull’s best qualifying performance of the season on Saturday after he was within four-tenths of Lewis Hamilton’s pole-position lap for the Tuscan Grand Prix.

The Dutchman said he was impressed by his car’s straightline speed on the fast, challenging and spectacular Ferrari-owned Mugello circuit in the Tuscan hills.

Verstappen qualified third behind series leader Hamilton and the other Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas. It was not Verstappen’s best position of the year, but his best performance in lap times.

“We did a very good job setting up the car for this weekend compared to some other weekends where we have been a bit further away, where I was not entirely happy with the car,” said Verstappen.