Verstappen not bothered by youngest F1 pole record

Max Verstappen says becoming the youngest Formula 1 driver in history to claim a pole position is “not a big deal” to him.

After missing out on pole position to Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo by just 0.026s in Mexico, Verstappen lost what was regarded as his best chance to make F1 history by becoming the sport’s youngest polesitter.

That record is currently held by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who claimed his maiden pole for the 2008 Italian Grand Prix for Toro Rosso when he was just 21 years and 72 days old.

Verstappen, who turned 21 at the end of September, now has one final chance to pip Vettel’s achievement at the 2018 season finale in Abu Dhabi, where Red Bull is not expected to challenge rivals Ferrari and Mercedes for pole in qualifying.

“For me I was not really after the youngest pole record,” Verstappen said.

“I mean I don’t think Lewis cares that he’s not the youngest pole sitter with five titles. It’s not a big deal but just fighting for pole, that was the target.

“I’ve never really had a great opportunity compared to other qualifying sessions where I felt like it was great, it was a good feeling, and you’re only like P3 or even P5 sometimes.

“It felt like it was a good session and this felt horrible. It’s still 2nd by such a small margin.”

Verstappen’s failure to secure pole led to an angry response from the Dutchman, though he claimed his frustrations were instigated by engine problems in qualifying, coupled with Ricciardo’s subsequent celebration.

“I was mainly very angry because of the problems I’ve had with my engine during qualifying, that weekend I was clearly the fastest but just for 75 seconds I wasn’t,” he added.

“So yeah I was literally pissed off. Then of course every little thing which comes with it makes me even more angrier, I could literally- I prefer not to say.

“I could literally do some damage if somebody would say something wrong to me after qualifying. That angry I was. So yeah, every little thing makes me more angry.”