P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen will start the Azerbaijan GP from sixth after being out-qualified by Sergio Perez for the first time this season.
Max Verstappen expressed his disappointment after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, acknowledging that he faced a challenging session from the start. Despite starting from sixth on the grid, his teammate Sergio Perez secured the fourth spot in the grid-setting session at the Baku Street Circuit. This marked the first time in 2024 that Verstappen was out-qualified by his team-mate, a setback he attributed to excessive bouncing of the car. Verstappen mentioned that modifications made to the car made it difficult to handle, resulting in understeer, not ideal for a street circuit. Even though Verstappen was not satisfied with sixth place, his main title contender, Lando Norris, qualified a disappointing P17, providing a slight relief. However, Verstappen heads into the race knowing he will have to navigate carefully due to recent setup changes that unsettled the car’s performance.
