Max Verstappen: I don't expect miracles in the race.

      Max Verstappen scored the third time in qualifying in Melbourne, losing to both McLaren drivers. At a press conference, the reigning world champion made it clear that he did not expect to compete for victory in the race.

      Question: Max, from the outside it seems that you have managed to improve the car in these two days. Is this really true?Max Verstappen: I think so. We had a difficult start to the weekend, and this track has never really suited us. It took some time to figure out how to fix the situation. And today we did it.

      To be honest, I'm pretty surprised that I'm participating in this press conference, considering how Friday's training sessions turned out for us. I felt confident in the car, but it was obvious that it lacked pace.

      Overall, I'm happy with my qualifying laps. I tried to get the most out of the car. The tyres are quite sensitive on this track because of the fast turns, but I'm happy.

      Question: Can you tell us how you have made progress? What is the main difference from Friday training sessions?Max Verstappen: We just tried to adjust the balance, and thanks to this, the car came to life somewhat. And on Friday, in general, everything was fine, it was just that the car was too slow, and today it became a little faster. But obviously not fast enough. Nevertheless, it is good that we were ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes on this track.

      Question: What can you say about the race? What is the car's pace over a long distance?Max Verstappen: I don't expect miracles in the race, but I think everything is fine. We're not at that level, but I'll do my best. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

      Q: When you say you're not at that level, do you mean the McLaren drivers?Max Verstappen: Yes, that's right.