Max Verstappen currently holds the title of the F1 World Champion.
Max Verstappen has defended his performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, claiming nobody in the paddock would have been able to drive the Red Bull RB20 “faster than me” last weekend.
Verstappen has established himself as the dominant force of modern F1, winning 49 of the last 74 races to claim three consecutive World Championships.
Max Verstappen challenges whole F1 2024 field to drive Red Bull RB20
A fourth title had looked inevitable after Verstappen started the F1 2024 season by winning four of the first five races – including three one-two finishes for Red Bull – to establish a clear lead in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings.
In recent weeks, Red Bull’s vulnerability has become more evident as McLaren and Ferrari have made significant improvements. Verstappen’s victory in one of the last three rounds was accompanied by Lando Norris’ win in Miami and Charles Leclerc’s triumph in Monaco.
For the second consecutive race, Sergio Perez fell short of making it to Q3, while Max Verstappen settled for sixth place on the grid in Monaco.
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Red Bull’s advantage over Ferrari has narrowed down to just 24 points as Verstappen’s lead in the World Championship has decreased to 31 points behind Monaco victor Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen acknowledged in his interview with various media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, that Red Bull had been exposed in Monaco for failing to address a longstanding car weakness, which had persisted since the introduction of F1’s ground effect regulations in 2022.
The Dutchman compared the RB20 to a go-kart while driving around the principality. He expressed that the car was excessively bouncy and failed to effectively navigate kerb strikes, bumps, or changes in camber.
Verstappen is convinced that no other driver could have achieved a sixth-place finish in Monaco considering the challenging nature of the car.
When questioned about whether he committed any errors during his initial experiences in F1 2024 at Monaco, he responded, “I’d have to disagree. Moreover, I would gladly extend an invitation to anyone in the paddock to surpass my speed in driving this car.”
After witnessing Red Bull’s impressive performance last weekend, Jos Verstappen, father of Verstappen Sr, boldly announced that the team’s reign over F1 has come to an end. Verstappen Sr passionately implored the Milton Keynes-based team to counter the revived challenges presented by Ferrari and McLaren.
In an interview with Dutch publication De Telegraaf, he expressed his curiosity about how Red Bull will overcome these challenges, while also acknowledging that there will be other tracks where they will excel.
“Action must be taken to address the issue and uncover the root causes of these specific challenges. Moreover, it is evident that McLaren and Ferrari are steadily approaching one another.”
“Although Max has been adept at concealing certain issues, the noticeable disparity between him and his teammate is quite significant.”
“It appears that Red Bull’s era of supremacy has reached its conclusion.”
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