Having claimed every pole position so far in the 2024 F1 season, Verstappen looked strong favourite again after topping Q2 of sprint qualifying in the dry.
But as rain fell at the Shanghai International Circuit it produced a major unknown given no driver had any wet running at a track F1 had not visited for five years.
With multiple drivers slipping off the track in Q3, Verstappen had two lap times deleted for off-track moments triggered by the wet conditions.
The reigning F1 world champion's best clean lap placed him fourth on the grid for the Chinese GP sprint race, but he was over two seconds slower than polesitter Lando Norris for McLaren.
Verstappen conceded he was unable to get the intermediate tyres in the best operating temperature window in the top 10 shootout and it left him feeling like he was "driving on ice".
"It was incredibly slippery, I struggled a lot to get the temperature into the tyres so that is why it is very difficult to keep the car on track," Verstappen said.
"It never really switched on for me so it was like driving on ice. That is why I think we deserve to be where we are after qualifying.
Source: Autosport