Max Verstappen has said the handling of his Red Bull Formula One car was “mixed” despite taking a front row starting position at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Verstappen managed to drive between the McLarens, but he could not stop Lando Norris from securing pole position, as the Briton was over three tenths faster.

McLaren, which has emerged as a benchmark for 2024, unveiled a major upgrade package this weekend to reduce its 42-point gap to Red Bull.

Verstappen delighted the home crowd by beating Norris’ initial Q3 record, but the McLaren driver then went even further to secure a dominant pole.

The Dutchman said he was happy with second place, having struggled with inconsistent driving due to the extreme gusts that prevailed throughout the weekend.

“I had a little moment in turns 11-12, but that was also a bit down to my qualifying in general,” said Verstappen. “I never really felt comfortable.”

“In every run there were always one or two corners where I felt like I was losing a lot of time. With the gust of wind it seemed very sensitive for us.

“The car reacted really aggressively to it. That’s why I think every run I did was different. I just had a different balance every time. That just made it very difficult.”

“Q3, I think the first lap wasn’t too bad. I tried to push a bit more but everything just seemed very snappy, very borderline I would say.

“Nevertheless, I am happy to be in the front row after Q1 and Q2. I have never really been in the top five region.

“Of course I tried to save a little bit of tyres because I only had four sets, but I never really felt like I could be in the fight for pole.

“If you come out of qualifying on the front row, I think that’s OK.”

Verstappen spoke openly about Red Bull’s need to become more competitive, admitting his team does not have a “magic button” to catch up with McLaren.

“I mean, it’s three tenths (the gap to McLaren), however big it was,” he admitted.

“I don’t know what the next races will be, of course. I think, yes, if you look at the last seven races, it was just a bit more difficult for us.

“We are trying to understand the situation and improve it, but it is not a magic switch that can be flipped. Yes, we are still trying.”

Verstappen, who has not won in four races, admitted that Red Bull’s lead over McLaren after one lap suggests it will be difficult to beat Norris in this race.

When asked if he expected to be more competitive in the race, Verstappen replied: “I hope so, but I think when you see the gap it will be very tricky.”

“Lando seems a bit happier in general, but in terms of driving and feeling, I’m a bit confused about the balance.

“I don’t know, maybe it will stabilize a bit tomorrow, but I think we’ll figure it out.”