Verschoor feeling confident as he sets sights on Jeddah Sprint Race victory

Richard Verschoor is in a confident mood ahead of the Jeddah Sprint Race, where he is set to start from pole, although the MP Motorsport driver was a little disappointed with Friday’s Qualifying result.

The Dutchman made a good start to the session and was fourth after the first set of push laps, his best time just 0.238s off pacesetter Arvid Lindblad.

However, on Verschoor’s first attempt on his new Supersoft tyres, a Red Flag intervention prevented him from completing his lap, just metres from the start/finish line.

READ MORE: Round 3 Post Qualifying Press Conference

The 23-year-old believes that had he completed that effort, he could have been somewhere in or around the top three instead of in P9. Even with that, there was still a lot for Verschoor to be happy about following Qualifying.

“Quali was a bit tricky,” he said. “Luckily, we managed to improve the car a lot after FP. On the first set, we were P4 with a decent lap. Then I improved a lot on the second set, in the first lap, at the peak of the tyres, I think 100 metres before the line it was Red.

“It was a bit unlucky for me, the lap was I think good enough for P3, P4 maybe. In the end you never know, but it was definitely a good lap. So, that was a bit of a shame.

“At least we know the pace is there which is important. P9 does not reflect where we should have been but luckily, we have two races coming up.”

Talking through the conditions he and the rest of the grid faced in Qualifying, Verschoor says he did not find setting a lap difficult. However, he did acknowledge that the track was slower this year compared to last season.

READ MORE: Lindblad hopeful of a double podium after qualifying fifth in Jeddah

“Seems like the track is slower,” he continued. “Even in Bahrain that was the same but somehow, we are slower than last year. I felt good in Qualifying, so it wasn’t that difficult to nail the lap, I already did my lap and then it was Red.

“Second lap - obviously you lose a bit of grip and I didn’t nail that lap. But Jeddah is always tricky, it’s always nice, especially in Qualifying on low fuel with Supersofts, it’s one of the best tracks out there.”

Attentions to turn to today’s Sprint in which the MP driver will go from pole following Roman Stanek’s three-place grid penalty for impeding Alexander Dunne in Qualifying.

Verschoor took the chequered flag first in last year’s Saturday night showdown, but a post-race disqualification for a technical infringement on his car saw him lose the win. He hopes to avoid a repeat of that this weekend.

“I’m feeling good for the Sprint,” he said. “Last year, I won it of course, so we are trying to go for the same without disqualification, but I am looking forward to it. I know I have a good car, so I will do my best to bring it home for the team.”

QUALIFYING: Crawford outduels Martins to take pole in Jeddah

He does however also have one eye on Sunday’s Feature, but with conditions set to be quite different for both races, Verschoor says his laps in Free Practice have given him and MP a good understanding of the setup they need.

“It will be quite different, the Feature compared to the Sprint,” he added. “So, we need to focus on the Sprint first, but I think it will be much hotter in the Feature Race.

“I know where we struggled in FP, so I also think we know where to go with the car to give me good balance for the races, and as I said I am very confident. Looking forward to getting racing.”