Max Verstappen has touted that Red Bull will not be in contention to win this weekend’s Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix as its practice issues can’t be solved overnight.
Ferrari and McLaren have converged on Red Bull in recent rounds and the team had been prepared to tackle a closer challenge across the twisting Monte Carlo track.
However, Red Bull endured an even more problematic time than anticipated as neither driver cracked the top 10 in FP1 amid complaints over the balance of the RB20.
Although Verstappen would improve in the second practice session to rise to fourth place, the Dutchman classified over five-tenths behind Charles Leclerc at the top.
Verstappen, who predicted that Monaco would be the worst-suited track to Red Bull’s2024 package, has conceded he ended up struggling more than he’d anticipated.
“I don’t think I can describe what is going on. It is very difficult,” Verstappen bemoaned.
“It’s not something that I did not expect. But it’s at the higher end of the worst possible outcome of the weekend so far. Difficult.
“A lot of bumps, kerbs, and camber changes on the track. For us, it is impossible to take.
“Every time we go over it, we lose a lot of lap time. Because the car doesn’t ride well. It is hampering us, at the moment, to go faster.
“There is no clear direction or solution for the weekend to be able to solve something like that.”
Verstappen recovered from a tough start to last weekend’s round in Imola to bag pole position and win the race, but he has denied the two situations are comparable.
“Imola was completely different,” he stressed. “Different issues that we could solve with set-up.
“These issues we cannot solve with set-up because it’s how the car is made and designed.
“These things you cannot change overnight. We are stuck with it. We will try, but I don’t expect miracles.”
The three-time champion has contended that Ferrari is “miles ahead” and outlined that he was fixated on getting his car into a better spot rather than Red Bull’s rivals.
“I’m not even thinking about that,” Verstappen responded in response to Ferrari’s pace. “I just want to solve the issues that we have to make it more drivable.
“Then we’ll see where we are. I don’t expect miracles.”
Verstappen experienced a minor moment on the approach to Portier when his left rear wheel banged against the barrier, prompting him to pit to have his car checked.
“I had fun driving. But very difficult when the car is not doing what you want. With all the bumps, it’s easy to have one extra jump and you are against the walls,” he said.
“Maybe, in that sense, today was a good lesson. We know when the car jumps and bounces. I knew, coming into the weekend, that it would be difficult.”
Yeah, right. And tomorrow he’ll take pole position… I think he’s been told to make it look more difficult, just for the fun of it