Johnny Herbert called Red Bull Racing 's mistake over fuel unacceptable. He also saw that Verstappen was fast enough to take pole position and is sure that the Dutchman has been clear with the team that something like this should never happen again.

At the end of the third part of qualifying at Marina Bay, Max Verstappen seemed to be on his way to a fast time, but it turned out to be only place eight. He was asked to come in and abort his final lap. This much to the reigning world champion's displeasure. Afterwards, Red Bull confirmed that the Dutchman was brought in because he was short of fuel. If he had finished his lap, and had had to drive another lap, Verstappen might have been short of fuel for the post-race inspection. That would have resulted in a disqualification.

“I think at the end of the day it’s a situation that is unacceptable from Max’s point of view. But again with everything that sort of goes on in that weekend, you’ve got to try and get the right fuel in for the right amount of laps and that’s where the confusion seemed to have come from, but it’s something that they’ll be able to sort out. Max will be very very strong in that debrief to be able to put them in a much better position and make sure it doesn’t happen again. But frustration yes because we could see he was quick and probably quick enough to get that pole.

Unacceptable

The Sky Sports analyst also shed his light on the situation in a retrospective on the weekend. "I think at the end of the day it’s a situation that is unacceptable from Max’s point of view." He continued that with everything going on in that weekend, the task is to get the right amount of fuel for the right number of laps. Verstappen had left the track early afterwards and did not join for the debrief with his team. Still, Herbert expects the Red bull Racing driver to have reacted fiercely to ensure it does not happen again. He therefore understands the Dutchman's frustration "But frustration yes, because we could see he was quick and probably quick enough to get that pole."