Max Verstappen admits he struggled to find grip during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, which ultimately cost him a shot at a front row start.
The Dutchman never looked comfortable around the Marina Bay street circuit on Saturday evening and had to settle for fourth while teammate Daniel Ricciardo joined polesitter Nico Rosberg on the front row. Verstappen says a track such as Singapore will always inflate any issues a driver is having.
"Qualifying was difficult. The whole weekend I have been very happy in the car but then the moment I had to get it done I was not happy," Verstappen said. "As soon as you feel comfortable in the car it's a lot of lap time around this track, so the differences can be bigger if you're comfortable."
"In qualifying the car was driving me because I couldn't feel the car like I wanted to. It's a bit of a shame but you can't change that now, hopefully in the race it will clear.
Despite missing out on an opportunity for a higher grid slot, Verstappen remains bullish about Sunday's prospects.
"[Up until qualifying] the whole weekend has been very good, so in the race hopefully we have the pace again. Mercedes are very strong, but on the other hand Lewis is struggling a bit so maybe we can fight him."
Earlier in the day, the 18-year-old had to double-take as a lizard made its way onto the circuit during free practice three, narrowly avoiding his Red Bull.
"I was very surprised because you normally only see them in the zoo," he said. "I didn't want to stop there I just wanted to drive away from it but it was cool to see."