Max Verstappen expressed genuine satisfaction with his performance after qualifying third for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
The Dutch driver delivered a composed and calculated session throughout, showcasing strong race-day potential from a competitive grid position.
Verstappen showed tactical awareness early on, choosing yellow compound tyres in Q1 to preserve a fresh set of red tyres for later in the session.
That decision proved shrewd, as his lap time on the harder compound was more than sufficient to progress comfortably to the next stage.
The Red Bull driver continued to build momentum in Q2, setting the fastest time overall and demonstrating that his car was increasingly well-suited to the Circuit.
In the final qualifying segment, Verstappen improved from fifth on his opening run to third by the conclusion of the session, underlining his team’s ability to extract pace when it mattered most.
He will start race day behind pole-sitter Lando Norris, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli occupying second place on the grid directly ahead of him.
Despite the challenge posed by those rivals, Verstappen was clearly pleased with how the session unfolded for himself and the Red Bull team.
“I think it was a very good qualifying session for us. To be third, I think is a great result,” Verstappen said after the session concluded.
He also offered warm words for his engineers and mechanics, crediting the team’s collective effort for the car’s improved feel throughout qualifying.
“We made the car feel quite decent in qualifying, and I could attack corners the way I liked. So yeah, for us I think this qualifying is a very good result,” he added.
With Norris leading from the front and Antonelli applying championship pressure, Verstappen will need a strong start and a well-executed strategy to convert third into a race victory on Sunday.