After a turbulent qualifying session, the Team Verstappen duo will start from fifth position on the legendary Nordschleife.
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The weekend is far from straightforward for Max Verstappen and his team competing at the Nürburgring. In the first qualifying session held on Sunday morning, the duo he forms with Lucas Auer could only manage a modest 32nd place.
A result not very representative of the crew’s true potential, already assured of participating in the decisive “Top Qualifying” session. The latter would ultimately reshuffle the cards and offer a much better opportunity to position themselves on the grid.
Lucas Auer leading the effort
In this particular format, each team had to designate a single driver to make two attempts during the final session. Lucas Auer was chosen to represent Team Verstappen.
The Dutchman therefore did not take part in this decisive phase, leaving his teammate to manage the pressure of an always delicate exercise alone, especially on a circuit as demanding as the Nordschleife.
The session took place in complicated conditions, with a slightly damp track making grip precarious. Several drivers paid the price.
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From the very first moments, Alessio Picariello made a mistake with the Porsche #17, ending his race in the barriers. Shortly after, another Porsche, the #44, also lost control after a spin. These incidents confirmed the difficulty of the track, where the slightest error can be very costly.
A decisive comeback to secure a top 5
Lucas Auer’s first attempt was not particularly convincing. Relegated outside the top 10, he was more than ten seconds behind the leaders.
But during his second run, the Austrian managed to raise his game at the crucial moment. Thanks to a significant improvement, he managed to climb up to fifth place on the grid. Ahead, Thierry Vermeulen set the benchmark in Ferrari, narrowly beating David Jahn for pole.
This fifth position represents a solid foundation for Team Verstappen for the second race of the weekend, scheduled for 13:00. On a circuit as long and unpredictable as the Nordschleife, starting in the top 5 opens up real prospects, provided the pitfalls that have already caught out several competitors are avoided.
With Verstappen ready to get back behind the wheel for the race, all the ingredients are there to try and play a major role in this second heat.
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