Verstappen denied pole shot by engine cutting out
Max Verstappen has revealed an engine cut out cost him a shot at beating Lewis Hamilton to pole position in Singapore, after what he believes was his best qualifying ever in Formula 1.

The Dutchman had battled engine problems throughout practice and qualifying, but managed to pull everything together in Q2 to end the first run three tenths down on Hamilton.
But when running even quicker on his second run – to leave him in with a chance of grabbing the top spot – Verstappen’s engine cut out and he was unable to improve.
“Totally unexpected,” said the Red Bull driver about ending up second on the grid despite the problems he faced. “From FP3 onwards I was shaking from anger but now I am shaking from happiness.
“In FP3 just so many problems. Going into false neutral, the car was stopping on track. While driving on my fast laps it was just bogging down, and qualifying was exactly the same story.
“We had to detune the engine and lost a bit of time there to try to make the driveability better, but it still didn’t work like it should do.
“Going into Q3 I felt the car was working really well and didn’t have anything to complain, so when I saw second on the board I was actually quite surprised with the problems I had.
“On my final run, I tried to push a bit more and I was another two tenths up. Then I arrived to [Turn] 16/17 and when I had to short shift again, the engine just cut out, so I had to abort.”
Although Verstappen does not know if the lap would have been good enough to snatch pole, he has no doubts he would have gone quicker than his first run.
“If it was going to be enough to pole I am not so sure but at least it was going to be closer than three tenths,” he said. “I am already surprised to be second with all the issues I am having.
“The only thing I can say is it was a great qualifying, I think the best I have ever done and also the car was working really well. Definitely that put us second today.”
Despite the ongoing engine problems, Verstappen does not believe the troubles will carry over in to the race, when the engine runs with different settings.
“I think normally in the race you have to turn down the power,” he said. “It is just when you go to the limit of the engine where we seem to struggle somehow this weekend with it, with driveabilty and torque mapping and stuff.
“For example, yesterday in long runs I didn’t have a problem, and if it breaks it breaks, you cannot really change that. We will find out tomorrow.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB14
Photo by: Manuel Goria / Sutton Images

Previous article
Hamilton doesn't know where "magic" lap came from
Next article
Vettel frustrated by "messy" Singapore qualifying

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Singapore GP |
Sub-event | Saturday qualifying |
Drivers | Max Verstappen |
Teams | Red Bull Racing |
Author | Jonathan Noble |
Verstappen denied pole shot by engine cutting out
Trending
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end