Breaking news
Formula 1 Hungarian GP
Verstappen: Pole the result of pushing Honda engine to the limit
Max Verstappen believes scoring his first Formula 1 pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix is reward for Red Bull and Honda working to get more from its engine.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Aug 3, 2019, 5:54 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen's breakthrough pole is Red Bull's first with new-for-2019 engine partner Honda and the Japanese manufacturer's first since 2006.
Qualifying has been outlined as Honda's key remaining weakness compared to F1's leading engine manufacturers.
When asked by Motorsport.com what message had been sent by a merited pole position, Verstappen said: "We know if you can start more up front it makes it a bit easier to control the race.
"We worked really hard to improve the engine, to get a bit more out of it in qualifying, that showed again today that we were able to push it a bit more – but within the limits of not blowing up.
Read Also:
"We keep improving, there are positive things coming in the upcoming races.
"Of course I'm very happy to get my first pole position but also [happy] as a team, how quickly we turned things around from the beginning of the year where we were clearly lacking.
"Now we are definitely closing up and this weekend we were there."
Verstappen's became the fourth-youngest poleman in F1 history at his 93rd qualifying attempt.
He joked that the main benefit to claiming his first pole is that "people will stop asking me that question!".
"For me it never really mattered," Verstappen added. "I knew it was a matter of time, you need a bit of luck sometimes, of course I made mistakes myself to miss a pole position shot, and today we got it."
Red Bull showed Mercedes-challenging pace throughout practice at the Hungaroring but Verstappen admitted there was still "a bit of a question mark" for qualifying given the team's enduring weakness at full power.
He said: "I think the whole weekend already the car was very competitive. It is always a bit of a question mark how it will work out in qualifying when we know they can turn up a bit more power.
"We seemed to hang in there, and car got better and better throughout qualifying. I was very happy, very pleased, it was really enjoyable through drive.
"I didn't really have any comments, I said just 'Keep the car going, give me new tyres', and that is exactly what we did.
"To get your first pole is very nice, but it is of course on Sunday what counts."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Ricciardo's Q1 move "very disrespectful", says Perez
Next article Hamilton's pace "plateaued" in qualifying "struggle"
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
10 h
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Max Verstappen explains why he’s so good in the rain in Brazil
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Max Verstappen explains why he’s so good in the rain in Brazil
More from
Red Bull Racing
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
3 h
Tsolov named Red Bull, Racing Bulls reserve driver after missing out on 2027 F1 race seat
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
What the Brazilian GP revealed about F1's ability to cope with rain
Latest news
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 1 h
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 2 h
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
2 h
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe