The Monaco GP is one of the most prestigious events in the motorsport world, and the eighth race weekend of the campaign. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen shared his thoughts on the circuit’s unique challenges on Media Day.
The uniqueness of the Monaco GP
The Monaco GP is like no other. Speaking in the press conference on Thursday, Max Verstappen revealed his thoughts on the difference of this racetrack.
“I think it’s just how difficult the track is to master in qualifying, to get the most out of it. Also knowing that overtaking is difficult on a Sunday, qualifying is even more important. It’s incredibly narrow, challenging, bumpy”, he said.
Verstappen highlighted that Monaco’s rich history and unique atmosphere makes a win on the streets of Monte Carlo more valuable than any other win.
“The history, of course, of Monaco in general – this is one of these races that you really want to win. It is very special to be racing here. It’s pretty insane, to be honest. But once you stand on the top step on the podium, it’s something where you’re like, ‘That was a great weekend.’ You’re like, ‘done!'”
Third win in Monaco?
Verstappen won already twice in Monaco. McLaren has demonstrated its dominance in the past Grand Prix, however, In Imola Verstappen outpaced the papaya drivers and won the race. This is despite even struggling during FP1 and FP2, finishing 7th and 5th, respectively.
“If you take the average of Miami and Imola, I don’t think we look that great. So we have to be calm. Imola was a very good weekend for us – I say weekend because Friday was not good.”
While the Imola GP showed promise, the Dutchman is sure to believe that this win doesn’t guarantee another. Max Verstappen remained cautious, though, as he acknowledged the difference of the street circuit.
“We just have to keep understanding our car a bit better, what we want with the set-up. This is a very different track. If you look at the season so far, we’ve only really been properly competitive on high-speed corners. Monaco is not a high-speed track. I’m a little more reserved for this weekend.
“Even if you have the best car, to nail it in qualifying around here is very tough. We just have to see what happens tomorrow and work from there. I have no idea where we are in the order.
“Historically, we’ve not been particularly great on street circuits. Hopefully we can change that a bit, but I don’t know.”
Drivers’ Championship standings
In the drivers’ standings Verstappen is third, while last year’s constructors’ champions, McLaren, take up 1st and 2nd. The gap between Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s driver is at the moment 22 points. McLaren showed their dominance in pace before, becoming a threat to Verstappen’s fifth championship win.
“Well, it’s not about believing. It’s about where you finish in the last race, and we just keep working every race to be better and improve the situation. A lot can happen.
“If you asked me last year around this time, I’d have said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to win it. No problem.’ But then a lot changed as well. It’s not for sure that it’s going to be straightforward to the end of the season. I think we still have to improve in areas, but that’s fine. We’ll try to find the improvements.”
Monaco is a true test of skill and nerve. Verstappen is keen to remain focused as it is far different from other Grands Prix. With the unpredictability of street circuits and the pressure of the championship battle, Sunday’s race promises drama, strategy, and maybe a little bit of magic. One thing’s for sure: in Monaco, anything can happen.
