The Red Bull driver's charge from 11th to fifth was hampered by the full safety car after Logan Sargeant's crash, handing a cheap pitstop to the medium tyre starters.
His alternative strategy to start on the hards meant he couldn't take advantage of it with too long left in the race to make a switch to mediums last.
Verstappen also felt the virtual safety car that came later when Esteban Ocon stopped on the track wasn't beneficial either, as he didn't have another set of fresh mediums like the Mercedes pair.
Despite this, Verstappen's tyre advantage on the medium compound over the closing laps allowed him to carve up the order to an eventual fifth after George Russell's last-lap wall smack put him out.
The reigning F1 world champion felt without either of these safety cars he could've climbed higher, having finished just 0.262s behind Charles Leclerc at the chequered flag and 21.4s off winner Carlos Sainz.
"Everything went against us as well in the race with the safety cars, so it was possibly the worst-case scenario, as I really think if the safety cars worked out a little bit more in our favour I would've been fighting with the guys [at the front]," Verstappen said.
"Especially with the last stint that was quite easy."
He added: "It is not what we wanted but I think today was better, a little bit better, but we were still unlucky during the race with all the safety cars going against us.
Source: Autosport