For Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing, the qualifying session in Singapore has gone according to plan – and given recent history at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, perhaps even better than expected. Just like last year, the Dutchman secured second place on the grid under the floodlights, although the feeling is different this time. Red Bull has made progress, and this weekend provides confirmation of that progress on a high-downforce circuit.

Although that’s essentially good news for Verstappen, he still showed some frustration after the session. He claims that Lando Norris hindered him in the final stages of Q3, not by blocking, but in Verstappen’s opinion by creating dirty air and driving slowly a few seconds ahead of the Red Bull driver.

The dirty air effect in Singapore

“It would have been really close,” Verstappen replied during his Dutch media round when asked if pole had been possible. “That first lap from George was very strong, but we definitely had the potential to fight for it. I could see it on my steering wheel as well during that second lap in Q3,” he refers to the delta times that drivers can see.

“Especially in Q3, you simply can’t afford to have a car that close in front of you. Everyone leaves at least an eight seconds’ gap. With these cars and the amount of downforce you have, you don’t want anyone in front of you at all. I don’t know what happened there, but it seemed unnecessary to me, to drive into the pits so slowly.”

A penalty for the driver ahead was of course never in question, although Verstappen stressed he felt affected. “You can’t say he’s holding you up, because he isn’t, he’s not blocking. But these cars are so sensitive to turbulence and dirty air, you really don’t want that in qualifying. It’s an unwritten rule that you just don’t do things like that.”

While Verstappen stated Norris was around two seconds in front of him at that moment, the reigning champion added that the impact of dirty air is felt even further back. “We don’t want to be within six or seven seconds of any car ahead. Absolutely not,” Verstappen clarified when asked by Autosport.

Norris, for his part, brushed off the claims and emphasised that Red Bull “always has something to complain about.”

“Well, that’s exactly what I would say as well if I were him,” Verstappen laughed in response. Asked whether he intends to “get back” at Norris at some point, Verstappen paused: “I don’t know…” After it was pointed out that he had already given his answer over the team radio when the Dutchman remarked that the moment “will be remembered,” Verstappen added: “Yes”.

Is Verstappen a factor again for the McLaren drivers?

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
© Autosport.com

The fact that conversations now revolve around such small moments says something about Red Bull’s recent progress. It indicates that Verstappen has once again become a factor in F1’s title fight, although he doesn’t want to get involved in any mental games.

“I honestly don’t care about those things at all,” he said. “I just live my life and do my own thing at the track. Then I go home and do other things. If others have me in their heads, then that’s their problem.”

The main point, Verstappen stressed, is that Red Bull can once again compete for top results on a track that normally poses a bigger challenge.

“Of course, that moment wasn’t ideal, and of course I’d prefer to be on pole, but ultimately we’re still starting second,” he said. “For us, that’s a very good result on a track like this, especially looking at the way we’ve achieved it. We were extremely competitive, and that’s what really matters to me.”