Max Verstappen says the lap which split the two Merce🍨des in qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix was one of the best in his Formula 1 career.

For only the second time in 2020, Verstappen will start Sunday’s race in Sochi from second on the grid after nicking ahe🎐ad of Valtteri Bot🥃tas in the dying stages.

The Sochi Autodr🌺om hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Red Bull ov🉐er the years with zero podium finishes in Russia since it was introduced to the F1 calendar in 2014.

Verstappen looked to be in a fight with Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo for third 🍬on the grid but credited last-minute setup changes which allowed him to produce one of the best laps of his F1 career.

“Yeah I think so, it felt really good, like yeah,” Verstappen said. “Just try to find a right balance as I was actually strꦺuggling quite a bit through qualifying to nail the entry speeds as I was oversteering quite a lot, step by step I think we were doing a better job.

“Q3 run one was a bit better but then the second run made a few changes and that have me a little bi💧t more grip and on this track you really need a lot of entry grip so yeah, that was very satisfying and it was a really nice lap to drive. I mean it’s not pole position but for me to be on the first row I de🎀finitely didn’t expect that going into qualifying.”

The Dutchman will start the race on the medium tyres with Bottas, while pole-sitter Hamilton will be starting on the less durable softs🐭.

Despite starting on the better race tyre compared to Hamilton, Vers💫tappen believes Mercedes has the edge when it comes to🐲 race pace.

“Yeah I think for us it’s the best way going into the race,” Verstappen added. “Of course I’m starting a bit on the dirty side so I’m not sure how much that’s going to affect it but overall I think the Mercedes guys are a bit faster in race pace so I’ll tr🅠y my very✃ best to stay with them and see what happens.

“But I’d like to have a good start, and by start I mean once I g🌠o full throttle to have full power would be nice, and then not get taken out, after two retirements I think it’s good to score some points again.”