DRS issue cost Verstappen pole in Barcelona

Max Verstappen looked set to finish in pole position in Q3 at the Spanish Grand Prix until a DRS issue ended his chances.

The Red Bull driver was not sure if he had lost power, or the DRS had failed to open. He had taken provisional pole position after championship leader Charles Leclerc spun. With DRS not opening, he surrendered pole position to Leclerc in the end.

The 24-year-old was still happy to be on the front row on a track that is notorious for being won from pole position.

Team principal, Christian Horner speaking after the race, said that Verstappen had not suffered a recurrence of the power unit problems they experienced earlier in the season. He confirmed that the DRS did not open.

Despite having missed out on pole position, Verstappen is hopeful Red Bull’s performance over a race stint will allow him to take the fight to Leclerc.

Horner said that they did not have enough to beat that lap of Leclerc and they were happy with a front row start in Barcelona.