Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz react to missed chance at Monaco GP pole position

There is never a dull moment in the Monaco GP. The principality’s narrow street circuit that is steeped in Formula 1 heritage always lends itself to eventful race weekends. Qualifying this Saturday was no different, as Monaco’s own Charles Leclerc took pole in fascinating circumstances. He was on provisional pole but, with mere seconds left in the session, crashed into the wall. That brought about an abrupt end to the session. This might not have been a big issue but for one simple fact. Both Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen were on flying laps that they believed could beat Leclerc’s time.

However, the red flags waved and the session was called off before they completed their laps. As a result, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were left wondering what could have been.

“I’m very disappointed to be honest. It is a difficult thing to accept, to digest. It’s not like every day of your life you have the opportunity to put it on pole in Monaco,” said Sainz.

“Because today I definitely had the pace to do so, but due to the circumstances I didn’t. it’s a very frustrating day for me.”

‘That’s life’

Sainz explained that his final sector time was enough to see him beat Ferrari teammate Leclerc’s qualifying time.

“Run one I lost two to three tenths in the last sector compared to my best lap so I knew a 1:10.2, 1:10.1 with the track evolution was there. I had a lot of traffic, Perez into turn 1, and I already lost a tenth, but then I was recovering the lap time. And knew I had the lap time in the last sector, but it was out of 13 I saw the yellow flag and had to abort.

“I have had the pace to put it on pole, so yeah, I’m starting fourth, so not even close to that. I went in qualifying thinking a pole and the win would be possible.

“Now I’m lining up fourth which is very far away from where I think I could have been.”

Verstappen had a slightly different take on the situation, although when his lab was aborted he too showed frustration on team radio.

“Of course, I’m disappointed not to have that shot at pole, but that’s life. Sometimes you can’t do it. It’s fine,” he said.

“I was one-and-a-half tenths up going into the tunnel and I knew on the previous lap I made a mistake at Turn 10, 11, where I lost more than a tenth. So I knew pole position was on.

“Especially on the second timed lap, I had a lot more grip on the tyres. So even in the last sector there normally would have been an improvement.

“But that’s ‘would have, could have, should have’. I don’t really care about that. The fact is that there was a red flag, it is what it is.”