The defending two-time champion landed his fourth pole position in a row courtesy of a 1m04.391s effort at the Red Bull Ring. He led Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc by 0.048s.
But the Friday qualifying session for the grand prix on Sunday was most notable for the number of lap times deleted for drivers exceeding track limits through the final two corners.
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez failed to make Q3 for the fourth round in succession after he ran all four wheels wide of the painted white lines at Turn 9 and again at T10 late in Q2.
Polesitter Verstappen was also caught out in Q1 - he dropped from the top of the times to 17th when found guilty of straying over the painted lines on the exit of the final corner.
The succession of deleted lap times, Verstappen reckoned, made proceedings look “very silly” and as though the drivers were “amateurs”.
He said: “I think today looked very silly. It almost looked like we were amateurs out there, the amount lap times that were getting deleted. I don’t think it was a good look today.
“Of course people can say: 'Yeah then stay within the white lines'. Well if it was that easy then you can take my car and try it.”
In defence of the drivers, he added: “I don't think we're all idiots”.
Verstappen also said the zero-tolerance policy on track limits by the stewards had worked to take “out of the joy” as he was instead forced to focus on “surviving” in the Q3 battle.
Source: Autosport