Max on second row Monaco GP: "Good qualifying"

Published on 27 May 2017 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen will start from the second row of the grid for tomorrow’s Monaco Grand Prix. The Dutchman qualified in fourth whilst Kimi Raikkonen scored his first pole position since the French Grand Prix in 2008. His Ferrari team mate Sebastian Vettel lines up alongside the Finn on the grid. Valtteri Bottas kept Mercedes’ honour high with third, after Lewis Hamilton failed to get into Q3.

“I think I’m pretty happy with qualifying. You have to be realistic, Ferrari are fastest, followed by Mercedes. So it was a good qualifying”, reflects Max. “My last lap was optimal. I pushed hard and this was the lap. We wanted a bit more grip on the front, but we couldn’t get that sorted so this is the best we could’ve done. We’re not far of the top three. Of course, you want to be closer but that lap was on the limit.”

Ahead of the race on Sunday, Max has yet to determine his goals. “I’ll hope for a good start and then we’ll see where we are in the first corner. It’s important to stay out of trouble. I mean the cars in front are obviously quick so it’ll be hard to overtake two or three. The cars are wider as well so it’s going to be more difficult to follow so it’s important to have a clean start and finish the race.”

After failing to finish in his previous two Monaco Grands Prix, Max is keen to see the chequered flag. “We’re close to the podium but I want to get to the end. You want to get rid of that ‘curse’.”

The biggest upset was Lewis Hamilton’s P14. Max was, however, not that surprised by the triple world champion’s struggle in qualifying. “They’ve struggled all weekend. If you’re not confident, it’s tough around here.”

At the start of qualifying, Max looks confident. After a 1:13.2 banker lap, he keeps chipping away at his lap time. In the end, his 1:13.0 is the quickest lap of anyone in Q1.

On the other side of the timing sheets, Esteban Ocon (Force India), Lance Stroll (Williams), Jolyon Palmer (Renault) and the Saubers of Pascall Wehrlein and Marcus Ericsson strand in the first part of qualifying.

In Q2, the spotlight is on Lewis Hamilton. After a spectacular save at Casino Square, it all boils down to the Mercedes driver's final timed lap to make it into Q3. In his first two sectors he is on course to make the cut. However, a yellow flag caused by Stoffel Vandoorne crashing at the swimming pool, prematurely ends Hamilton’s qualifying.

Meanwhile, it is the Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen that set the pace, with Max comfortably through to Q3. Daniil Kvyat (Scuderia Toro Rosso), Nico Hulkenberg (Renault), Kevin Magnussen (Haas F1) and Felipe Massa (Williams) do not progress.

From the get go, Kimi Raikkonen is the man to beat in the final part of qualifying. Although pushed by his team mate Vettel and fellow Finn Bottas, the Ice Man’s 1:12.178 is the fastest lap ever recorded around the principality. It means Ferrari lock out the front row followed by Bottas and Max.

Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo - Saturday 27 May

01  7 Kimi Räikkönen      Ferrari                     1:13.117 1:12.231 1:12.178 23
02  5 Sebastian Vettel    Ferrari                     1:13.090 1:12.449 1:12.221 23
03 77 Valtteri Bottas     Mercedes                    1:13.325 1:12.901 1:12.223 30
04 33 Max Verstappen      Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:13.078 1:12.697 1:12.496 24
05  3 Daniel Ricciardo    Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:13.219 1:13.011 1:12.998 21
06 55 Carlos Sainz        Toro Rosso                  1:13.526 1:13.397 1:13.162 30
07 11 Sergio Perez        Force India Mercedes        1:13.530 1:13.430 1:13.329 23
08  8 Romain Grosjean     Haas Ferrari                1:13.786 1:13.203 1:13.349 29
09 22 Jenson Button       McLaren Honda               1:13.723 1:13.453 1:13.613 27
10  2 Stoffel Vandoorne   McLaren Honda               1:13.476 1:13.249          20
11 26 Daniil Kvyat        Toro Rosso                  1:13.899 1:13.516          19
12 27 Nico Hulkenberg     Renault                     1:13.787 1:13.628          21
13 20 Kevin Magnussen     Haas Ferrari                1:13.531 1:13.959          20
14 44 Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes                    1:13.640 1:14.106          18
15 19 Felipe Massa        Williams Mercedes           1:13.796 1:20.529          20
16 31 Esteban Ocon        Force India Mercedes        1:14.101                   7
17 30 Jolyon Palmer       Renault                     1:14.696                   11
18 18 Lance Stroll        Williams Mercedes           1:14.893                   7
19 94 Pascal Wehrlein     Sauber Ferrari              1:15.159                   11
20  9 Marcus Ericsson     Sauber Ferrari              1:15.276                   11

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