Max Verstappen pinpointed the crucial issues that hindered his performance during the Monaco qualifying session, ending his impressive run of pole positions.
Max Verstappen entered the Monaco Grand Prix qualifying with hopes of setting a new record for the most successive pole positions in F1 history, aiming to surpass Ayrton Senna with his ninth consecutive pole. However, the tight, twisty streets of Monte Carlo proved challenging for the RB20, bringing his streak to an end.
Despite a promising start to the weekend, Verstappen’s struggles became evident as he battled ride and balance issues throughout practice. These issues persisted into qualifying, preventing him from attacking the circuit aggressively. Instead, he was forced to stay off the kerbs, unlike his rivals.
Verstappen’s troubles peaked on his final lap when he hit the barriers exiting Sainte Devote, dashing any hopes of improvement and leaving him in sixth place for Sunday’s race. Reflecting on the session, Verstappen expressed surprise at being competitive until Q3. “It’s like driving on a knife’s edge. I can’t use the kerbs, which costs us a lot of time in Sector 2. The car feels like a go-kart over the bumps, making it incredibly difficult and unpredictable.”
While Verstappen enjoyed the medium to high-speed sections where the car performed well, the low-speed corners remained a significant challenge. As he prepares for race day, Verstappen acknowledges the difficulties ahead. “It’s not going to be enjoyable. The low-speed sections are a challenge to be consistent. In the race, we’ll all calm down a bit, but we don’t have the fastest car. We’ll just try to follow and hope for some Monaco magic, though I don’t expect miracles.”
Verstappen’s five wins in the season’s first seven races underline his determination, but the unique demands of Monaco mean he will need to rely on strategy and capitalize on any race-day drama to climb the ranks from his P6 start.
