Verstappen: Q3 spin didn’t cost me Styrian F1 pole

Max Verstappen has revealed a slow-moving Sebastian Vettel contributed to his spin in the dying moments of qualifying for the Styrian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman was embroiled in a titanic scrap with reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton for pole position with the pair exchanging fastest lap times throughout qualifying at the Red Bull Ring.

Verstappen looked on course to topple Hamilton’s provisional pole position lap at the end of Q3 but suffered two oversteer moments in the middle sector before finally spinning on entry to the final corner.

His entry into the penultimate corner was compromised by Vettel returning to the pits but even without his spin, Verstappen believed pole position was out of reach today.

“I guess it was Seb going in the pits – you can’t see even the colour of the car,'' Verstappen said in the post-qualifying press conference in Austria.

“I understeered because of it and then I went a bit wide, I came onto the kerb on the exit and then I lost it.

“I had a four-wheel drift into the last corner. But anyway, it was not good enough of a lap to beat Lewis.”

With Sunday's grand prix expected to be dry, Verstappen is confident he will be able to take the fight to Hamilton.

“I think in the dry, we can have a good shot at it. See how it is going to go. I think the car, in general, is better than last week so I am looking forward to that.”

Verstappen will be hoping to get his season back on track after retiring from the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix due to a mechanical issue.