Max Verstappen focused on the "positive" of Red Bull's improved pace after just missing out on Eifel Grand Prix pole.

The Dutchman produced a brilliant lap to initially go fastest in Q3 at the Nurburgring, but watched on as Lewis Hamilton and then Valtteri Bottas went quicker, the latter eventually claiming P1.

Verstappen himself also improved on his second lap, finishing just 0.037s behind Hamilton in third, but revealed the small change that made the difference.

“It was an interesting qualifying after missing the whole of yesterday for everyone it was very busy today,” he commented.

“Overall, I think it was a pretty decent qualifying, just in Q3 I started understeering a bit too much and when it’s so cold when you are understeering, you are graining the front tyres and basically eating up the rubber, which cost me a bit of lap time."

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Still, Saturday represented the closest Verstappen has come so far to ending the Brackley-based outfit 100% record in qualifying.

“We are getting closer towards Mercedes which I think is very positive," he added. "So, in a way, I’m a little bit disappointed because I was expecting a little bit more but it is what it is. I think overall, I can still be happy.”

Asked what Red Bull had done to close the gap, Verstappen replied: “The engine is the same, but we brought a few upgrades so the car is working a bit better.

"Of course with only having run today there is still a lot of things to go through and analyse and optimise because of the understeer in the car.

“But it’s definitely a good step forward so we are in the right way so I just hope we can keep heading into that direction and keep improving.”

Traditionally, Red Bull have been closer to Mercedes on race day, and Max certainly wants that trend to continue. 

“I hope so," he said on if the win was possible. “It’s going to be even colder tomorrow, so it’s going to be even more interesting to see what the tyres are going to do and how they are going to behave.

“It’s a fun track to drive, so I’m just looking forward to tomorrow and to see what we can do.”