After qualifying in Zandvoort, GP veteran Nico Rosberg praised the performance of Formula 1 champion and pole setter Max Verstappen and clearly criticized Ferrari star Charles Leclerc.
Ultimately, it was only two hundredths that Charles Leclerc was missing from pole in Zandvoort. The Monegasque had turned his fastest Q3 lap on the Dutch circuit on the first attempt, the second and decisive lap was not without mistakes. And opponent Max Verstappen took the chance to shine in front of his home crowd.
Much to the delight of Nico Rosberg. The 2016 world champion, who analyzes what is happening in Formula 1 for “Sky Sports F1”, explained after the final training session: “Max was once again the best driver out there. He drove at an incredibly high level and got the lap together.”
“Leclerc threw it away. I think he had the pace to take pole. But he messed up in the middle part of the route,” the German criticized the work of the Ferrari driver. “He made two mistakes, one of which saw him miss the apex of the corner by about ten feet. Today he handed it over himself with his carving.”
And he regretted that his former team-mate Lewis Hamilton was unable to complete his last attempt after yellow flags were waved at the very end for Sergio Pérez’s spin. “It’s a pity we don’t go to the end of Lewis’ lap, he was on a good lap, he was only five hundredths off Max’s pole lap until the last sector and he didn’t get to show how well he would have managed the last sector, »said Rosberg.
Ferrari will certainly leave no stone unturned in the race to catch Verstappen. “It’s about victory for them, no matter which driver gets it. They will probably choose two different strategies and try to catch Verstappen with them. They have to do that. And they are missing Pérez up front, so Lewis could be an important buffer for them,” predicts the 37-year-old.
Qualifying, Zandvoort
01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:10,342 min
02. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 1:10,363
03. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, 1:10.434
04. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, 1:10,648
05. Sergio Perez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, 1:11.077
06. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, 1:11,147
07. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, 1:11.174
08. Mick Schumacher (D), Haas, 1:11,442
09. Yuki Tsunoda (J), AlphaTauri, 1:12,556
10. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, no time
11. Pierre Gasly (F), AlphaTauri, 1:11.512
12. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, 1:11,605
13. Fernando Alonso (L), Alpine, 1:11,613
14. Guanyu Zhou (RC), Alfa Romeo, 1:11,704
15. Alex Albon (T), Williams, 1:11,802
16. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Alfa Romeo, 1:11,961
17. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), McLaren, 1:12,081
18. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, 1:12.319
19. Sebastian Vettel (D), Aston Martin, 1:12,391
20. Nicholas Latifi (CDN), Williams, 1:13,353