Verstappen had been looking to continue his dominant start to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend by taking pole positio🍌n but his hopes were dashed when he lost drive on his first flying lap of Q2. 

The double world champion reported over team radio that he ha🌳d an "engine problem" before being instructed to return to the pits in 'limp home mode'. 

"It's almost not accelerating," he added. 

VER : "I 😼have a problem... engine, engine problಌem"

— Formula 1 (@F1)

Red Bull did not have time to fix the problem in the garage with only fiv🔜e minutes left of the second session of qualifying, resulting in 🐻a shock elimination for Verstappen. 

The Dutchman had complai💯ned of slow shifting in his RB19 in Friday practice, prompting Red Bull to change the ge🌠arbox on his car overnight. 

Verstappen is set to start Sunday's race from 15th on the grid and will have his work cut ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚout if he is to make it back-to-back♏ wins in 2023. 

The defending world champiꩲon said he had no warning about the "an๊noying" issue. 

"No, it is the first time I have heard about 🎃it," Verstappen told Sky. 

"Coming out of Tur🧸n 10 itꩵ happened which is very annoying.

"I think so far we ꧂had a really good weekend, every session was going well, the car was ꧋working really well.

"Now it will be a bit more tricky to get to the front but it will be all about 🤪scoring points. 

"Of course, I would have liked to have stared f⛎urt🌱her up the road but there is nothing I can do now.

"Let's stay realistic- it is goinꦍg to be tough b﷽ut we have good pace so let's move forward."