AUSTIN, Texas — Max Verstappen mentioned qualifying sixth for the U.S. Grand Prix ought to make his race on Sunday “a bit extra enjoyable” as he appears to say his fifteenth win of the season.

Verstappen set the quickest time in Friday’s qualifying forward of Charles Leclerc, however his lap time was deleted for exceeding monitor limits at Flip 19.

The Pink Bull driver, who sealed his third championship on the final grand prix in Qatar, disregarded the disappointing end result.

“In fact it is a bit unlucky nevertheless it makes the Sunday additionally a bit extra enjoyable,” he informed reporters in Austin.

“I knew in Flip 19 that it was going to be a detailed name. I had a bit of mistake in Flip 1 so I needed to actually push for it in the remainder of the lap.

“It is tremendous margins, actually, I did not even understeer, I simply tried to essentially maximize the nook and I misjudged it by a bit of bit. It’s totally tremendous margins when you’re pushing to the restrict.”

Requested what his expectations are ranging from sixth behind two Mercedes vehicles, two Ferraris and a McLaren, Verstappen added: “In fact we wish to win so for certain in the present day was not perfect.

“However it’s nonetheless a protracted race and there is a number of issues we will do higher and have a little bit of enjoyable on the market as effectively.”

Leclerc, who begins from pole place for the third time this season, expects Verstappen to characteristic within the battle for victory on Sunday and through the dash race on Saturday.

“For certain, as all the time,” the Ferrari driver mentioned. “Pink Bull is all the time very robust, and Max this 12 months is all the time on it. So yeah. For certain, he can be a menace and up there tomorrow.”