Verstappen error cost Red Bull second place

Max Verstappen believes he would have been capable of qualifying on the front row of the grid for the Australian Grand Prix, were it not for an error on his final flying lap. Verstappen will start Sunday's race fourth behind pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton and the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.

Verstappen was within six hundredths of a second after the first runs in Q3, but he ended up seven tenths adrift of the world champion as the Mercedes clattered around Albert Park in a record-breaking one minute 21.164 seconds.

Thr Dutchman was just a tenth down on second-place Raikkonen and Vettel, however, which he believes would have been the other way around, were it not for a mistake on his final flyer.

"I went wide in turn 13, so I lost two tenths compared to my quickest lap," said Verstappen.

"Lewis seems to be quite far ahead, but if we would have put a clean lap together, it's let's say half-a-second, and then with the power mode they have, which is three or four tenths, then it's not too bad.

???? "I’m hopeful we can improve and move forward." @Max33Verstappen's #AusGP #Quali reaction ???????????? https://t.co/wrGDBWrBnz #F1 pic.twitter.com/KzQ5ueB1ph — Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 24, 2018

"I just lost a little bit on entry, so I missed the apex and then went wide onto the AstroTurf. You slide the rears and then the rear tyres are too hot, so that's not ideal."

Verstappen was heard requesting more front grip over team radio, but he is happy with the Red Bull's set-up on the whole.

"In general the car was behaving really well," said Verstappen. "Of course, it can always be a little bit better, so we just have to look for the future but every track is different.

"Yeah, we could have had a bit more front grip.

"This is not our best track of the calendar, our car is definitely working really well so I'm not too worried."