Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max 🅠Verstappen felt he got the most out of what he described as a “pretty boring” Russian Grand Prix.

Verstappen outpaced Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas to set the fourth-fastest time in qualifying but dropped to ninth once his fﷺive-place🦄 engine penalty was applied.

He started Sunday’s race from ninth on the grid i♎n Sochi and  progressed to a lonely fourth-place finish, endingℱ up some 14-seconds adrift off the podium, which was completed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

“It was pretty boring but that was the best we cou♐ld do,” Verstappen concluded.

Asked where it all went wrong for Red Bull after a strong showing during Friday practice, the♒ Dutchman replied: “They [Ferrari] turned thꦿe engines up more than us.

“I think maybe they were not happy with their car balances. I was straightaway 𒁏happy with mine.

“Anyway, this track is not suitable for us. I guess it was just a really good Friday where we straightaway naile൲d the setup, and for them it took a while to settle in.

Red Bull teammate Alexander Albon r🍨ecovered strongly from the pitlane following his qualifying crash to take fifth, keeping up his run of top-six f🌜inishes since his mid-season graduation from Toro Rosso.

“I’m happy after a tough Saturday,” Albon said.

“I think that was really the best we could h👍ave done. I think a little bit fortunate with the Safety Car and everything like that, but still, the pace was there, so I’m happy.

“I think coming from that﷽ Saturday, it was good for the team and everyone to do a good job.”

Albon battled brake issues throughout𒀰 the race which he felt slowed his progress through the field.

“I think this track, the way it’s designed, when you’re following in a train, it reall𒅌y feels a lot worse than other tracks because it’s almost like a tunnel system,” he explained.

“Th𝄹e air is stuck in one place, a little bit like a st☂reet track. The downforce loss was immense when you’re following.

“It just meant I could🍒n’t do those overtakes like I was used to at Spa and Monza, and outbrake people.

“Once you’re just one driver by themsel🌱ves that you could attack, it wasn’t a pr🍌oblem.”