Rejuvenated Verstappen happy with Monaco front row

Max Verstappen rediscovered his smile on the Monaco grid, securing a front-row start for the Grand Prix after a season marked by complaints about Formula One's hybrid engines. The four-time world champion, who has only managed one podium in the first five races, delivered a sensational qualifying performance to claim second place. He will start alongside rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli, who snatched pole position by a mere 0.043 seconds on his final lap. "If you would've told me yesterday I would be on the front row, I definitely would've taken it," Verstappen told reporters, clearly pleased with the result. He had struggled in final practice, finishing almost a second behind Antonelli, but things dramatically improved in qualifying. Verstappen was second in Q1, fastest in Q2, and battled intensely for pole in Q3. "This morning, I think we had some difficulties with the car, so heading into qualifying and being up there I think was extremely positive," he said. "Overall, of course, I'm very happy with how qualifying went, how all the laps went, even though I had to deal with all the traffic and the walls."

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If you would've told me yesterday I would be on the front row, I definitely would've taken it.