Verstappen and Auer secure fifth on grid at Nordschleife
Max Verstappen and teammate Lucas Auer are set to launch their second race of the weekend at the Nordschleife from the fifth position on the grid. The duoâs path to the third row was defined by a strategic approach to the qualifying sessions, navigating both the technical demands of the circuit and challenging weather conditions.
Navigating the qualifying sessions
The teamâs Sunday morning began with a 32nd-place finish in the initial qualifying practice. However, this result did not reflect their true standing, as Team Verstappen had already secured an automatic seeding for the decisive 'Top Qualifying' session.
Per the event regulations, each team was required to nominate a single driver to complete two runs during the final qualifying outing. The team opted to put Lucas Auer behind the wheel for both runs, while Max Verstappen sat out the session as planned.
Tricky conditions and a strong recovery
The 'Top Qualifying' session proved treacherous, with light rain creating difficult track conditions. The impact of the weather was immediate, as the #17 Porsche suffered substantial damage after Alessio Picariello struck the crash barrier. Shortly thereafter, the #44 Porsche also saw its session end prematurely after spinning into the wall.
Auerâs initial effort was modest, leaving him outside the top 10 and trailing the pace by more than 10 seconds. At that stage, Thierry Vermeulen held the provisional pole with an 8:10 lap in his Ferrari, edging out David Jahn by a mere one-thousandth of a second.
Despite the slow start, Auer found his rhythm in his second and final run. He successfully climbed the order to secure P5, though he ultimately could not match the benchmark set by Vermeulen. With the grid now set, the team turns its focus to the second race of the weekend, which is scheduled to commence at 13:00 local time.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.