After the practice day in Monaco, Max Verstappen is convinced that Ferrari is beyond his reach.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen says the Friday struggles he encountered in practice can’t be resolved with setup changes.
In Friday practice in Monte Carlo, Verstappen fell short of challenging the top of the times. The Dutch driver was over half a second behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who set the pace.
Max Verstappen ‘can’t describe’ Red Bull issues
Leclerc effortlessly established the leading position on Friday, surpassing Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes and Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin. Verstappen, on the other hand, finished in fourth place in his RB20, trailing Leclerc by a margin of 0.535 seconds.
After being overheard on team radio, Verstappen was explaining to his race engineer Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase that his car was exhibiting the characteristics of a kangaroo. Following the session, the Dutch driver expressed his confusion about the problems afflicting his car.
He expressed his uncertainty in describing the current situation.
“It’s incredibly challenging, which is not something I was unprepared for. However, it’s definitely on the more severe side… [it’s] the most unfavorable result of the weekend thus far, making it extremely tough.”
There are numerous bumps, kerbs, and camber changes on the track, making it nearly impossible to navigate flawlessly every time we pass over them.
“We are experiencing significant time loss on the track due to the car’s poor handling, which is currently preventing us from achieving faster speeds. Additionally, we are lacking a clear direction or solution for the upcoming weekend to address this issue effectively.”
Despite Red Bull’s initial difficulties at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend, they managed to recover and secure pole position on Saturday, ultimately winning by a narrow margin on Sunday. However, Verstappen clarified that the available setup options for the team will not fix the underlying issues with the car that are causing problems in Monte Carlo.
“He said that Imola presented a stark contrast and various problems that could be resolved through adjustments in the setup.”
“These types of issues cannot be resolved through a simple setup adjustment. They are inherent in the car’s design and cannot be changed immediately, leaving us with no choice but to accept them. However, we will attempt to improve the situation to some extent, although I do not anticipate any extraordinary outcomes.”
After dedicating the past two weekends to concern over McLaren’s performance, with Lando Norris claiming victory in Miami and putting up a strong challenge at Imola, Verstappen voiced his suspicion that Ferrari holds the upper hand on the Monaco circuit.
He stated, “Ferrari is far superior, so I don’t even have it in mind for tomorrow.”
“I simply aim to address and resolve the challenges we’re facing, making it more manageable. Afterward, we’ll assess the outcome, though I’m not anticipating any miraculous transformations.”
More on the latest Red Bull F1 news
Max Verstappen brands Red Bull RB20 a ‘kangaroo’ in startling Monaco practice
Red Bull confirm key figure has re-signed over Monaco Grand Prix weekend
Sergio Perez echoed Verstappen’s sentiments from the other side of the Red Bull garage. The Mexican driver recorded the eighth fastest time in FP2, trailing Verstappen by an additional three-tenths of a second.
“The 2022 race winner confessed that it would be a challenging journey.”
“At the moment, I find it quite challenging to overcome our limitations. However, let’s see what we can come up with tonight during our journey.”
“We made slight variations in how we ran the cars. Unfortunately, I am unaware of the specific problems Max encountered, so there could be numerous factors at play. It appears that the long run pace is in a better state, although this judgment is relative, and only time will tell for certain.”
Perez echoed Verstappen’s sentiment, stating that Red Bull would not be able to rival Ferrari in terms of handling, judging from their performance on Friday.
He stated, “In my opinion, Ferrari is currently unattainable. They possess immense strength.”
They effortlessly and swiftly put on the lap whenever they require it.
“It’s a significant advantage to have the ability to quickly complete a lap whenever necessary, without encountering much difficulty with tires and similar issues. Currently, they appear to be in a very strong position.”
Perez expressed concerns about the complexity of making any significant improvements to the car during Friday night, in preparation for the crucial qualifying session of the season.
He stated, “I believe it is not just one thing, but rather we have several areas that require improvement.”
“With hope, it has the potential to reignite our competitiveness and bring us closer to the top. The current situation appears challenging.”
Read Next: Lewis Hamilton praises ‘best day we’ve had’ after ‘strong’ Monaco practice showing
