Max Verstappen rued an “incredibly messy” performance at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday that thwarted his hopes of securing his second world title.

The Red Bull driver needed results to go his way in order to come away with consecutive Formula 1 world championships, but a calamitous end to qualifying on Saturday saw him start the race in eighth.

Verstappen then slipped down the pack early on and also found himself off the track midway through the race, but a late charge lifted him up into a seventh-placed finish, beating Lewis Hamilton by a couple of places.

There was some comfort for Verstappen though as the race was won by his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Verstappen admitted that he and his team had underperformed.

The 25-year-old Dutchman said: “It’s not where we want to be. Yesterday [Saturday], you put yourself in a spot like that and it can either work brilliantly and you can drive back to the front or it’s very frustrating like we had.

“Seventh is better than eighth but it’s not what I’m here for, not with a car like that and what we showed in practice.

• Perez wins Singapore Grand Prix but faces investigation for safety car infringement
• Perez celebrates ‘best performance’ after dominant Singapore victory

“It’s just incredibly messy.”