Verstappen tops qualifying but abandons final run after Red Bull fuel miscalculation

Max Verstappen set the pace in a qualifying session held partly on a wet track, but could not complete his final attempt. Red Bull had miscalculated how much fuel was in his car, forcing him to abandon the run. The setback comes as the Dutchman faces another chance in Singapore to claim a victory that has so far eluded him at the circuit.

This is his tenth attempt to win in Singapore. Verstappen has reached the podium there four times, but has yet to take victory. At Thursday’s media day, he acknowledged that he still had “unfinished business” there.

The driver also pointed to Red Bull’s struggles on bumpy tracks and through slow corners. “In the last few years, we’ve always been bad in low-speed corners and at riding the kerbs and bumps,” he said. He believes this year’s car is probably more competitive in slow corners, while stressing that bumps and kerbs remain a problem. He hopes the team can be more competitive than in recent years, but said they also need to be realistic.

The upgrades introduced in Baku appear to have had a significant effect, though Verstappen cautioned that their effectiveness varies from circuit to circuit. Red Bull nevertheless has reason for optimism after a double podium in Baku and its first win of the year in Malaysia. The driver described Baku as colder, making it harder to bring the tyres up to temperature, while Malaysia presented the opposite conditions. Singapore is another challenge, and he is aiming to be in contention for the podium. Ferrari, he said, is very good over bumps and kerbs and also looks strong in slow corners.

His team-mate Isack Hadjar is fully confident Red Bull can overcome its difficulties in Singapore. He pointed to the upgrades’ effectiveness at two very different circuits, Baku and Sepang. Hadjar also cited Verstappen’s second place in Madrid and said the RB22 may not be as troubled by kerbs as feared.

For Verstappen, finding the right balance in the opening practice session will be crucial. The sprint and Grand Prix in Singapore bring different challenges between day and night, and overtaking is difficult. “At the end of the day, qualifying is the most important thing, for both the sprint and the race – it normally defines where you finish,” he said.