Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar surprised by Red Bull pace in Barcelona
It is a rare day when a driver expects to be miles off the pace and finds something much more exciting instead. Both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished Saturday’s qualifying at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix genuinely surprised by the speed of their Red Bull RB22 machines. They both finished within four tenths of polesitter George Russell, securing a start on the third row.
Verstappen was honest about the volatility of the session, noting that while he felt P5 was decent, he actually had a genuine shot at P3 before his final sector started sliding. He admitted he entered the session fearing he would be stuck in P7 or P8, so the final result felt like a genuine shift in momentum. Even with a red flag disrupting the rhythm of Q3, the car was performing far better than the team anticipated.
Isack Hadjar, following just behind, echoed that sentiment with a touch of frustration. Despite being disappointed to miss out on P3 by less than one tenth to Kimi Antonelli, he was stunned to find himself only three tenths off pole after trailing by a full second throughout the weekend. Looking ahead to the 66-lap race, he knows that with high temperatures and significant tyre degradation, a sharp strategy and a strong Turn 1 will be absolutely essential.
