Wolff finds gap between Verstappen and Perez “odd” and “bizarre” 

Verstappen claimed his eighth pole position in 13 races in a dramatic qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix, while Perez could only take seventh, a huge 1.3 seconds adrift of the Dutchman. 

Asked what he made of the gap between Verstappen and Perez, Wolff described it as “odd” and “bizarre”. 

“Checo is not an idiot,” Wolff continued. “We have seen it over these years, Checo is a Grand Prix winner and multiple Grand Prix winner and he was at Racing Point. So I cannot comprehend. 

“I mean, we've seen that Max has destroyed everything that he made that was with him, whether it's his ability to create a car around himself that is just very tricky to control but fast if you can and that makes those gaps, creates those gaps. 

“But 1.3 [seconds], I haven't heard any obvious explanations. But yeah, odd.”On the gap between his drivers, Wolff’s Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner told Sky F1: “What can you say in conditions like that? It’s the same for everybody, you’ve just got to go out there and feel the grip and put a lap in. 

"For whatever reason he [Perez] hasn’t quite the confidence that certainly Max has – I don’t think anybody has had the confidence Max has – so a harder session for him, but then there’s others around him who have struggled."

Mercedes endured a mixed day at Zandvoort, with George Russell claiming third, while Lewis Hamilton struggled and could only manage 13th.