Max Verstappen misses out on pole position for the first time in 2024
Max Verstappen, who experienced a number of problems during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, expressed deep concern about the set-up of the Red Bull car, citing a "fundamental problem".
If there is one thing that seemed consistent this year in Formula 1, it was constantly finding Max Verstappen in pole position for every Grand Prix. A streak that ended this afternoon in Monaco, as It’s Charles Leclerc who will start in first place tomorrow, at home.
On his side, the Dutchman will only start the race from 6th place. A position he owes to a mistake during Q3: he touched the wall at turn 1, then telling his team that the “car is very slippery”. This cost him valuable time in his final quick lap.
A circuit not well suited for Red Bull
One of the main difficulties of the RB20 was its adaptation to the winding and unpredictable layout of Monaco, where the slightest irregularities of the track can have a significant impact on performance. Sergio Perez was not spared from the difficulties either, qualifying in a disappointing 18th place.
In a post-qualification interview with the media ViaPlay, the defending world champion highlighted the car’s poor response to the curbs, a fundamental issue related to the rigidity of the vehicle which made navigating the tight corners of the Monaco circuit even more challenging.
« I was surprised that we could be competitive for so long. We tried everything this weekend to find a better balance, but it simply doesn’t work. The car was extremely hard to drive and it shows when you look at Sergio Perez. He’s normally good on street circuits, but being sixth and eighteenth shows that we performed very poorly.
« Nothing is working, so it’s a fundamental problem with the car,” he explained again. « We can’t solve the problem of bumps and curbs so quickly. I tried to get the most out of it, but the car is so nervous. At each bump, the car destabilizes or bounces almost against the wall. I didn’t hit the wall very hard, but I immediately lost three tenths. Then, I thought, “well, I’ve had enough. »
For this Sunday’s race, the Dutchman does not appear particularly optimistic. It’s still Monaco. You can’t do anything and you have to be a bit lucky. The weekend will soon be over, he concluded, almost seeming to rejoice…
