Max Verstappen fails to comprehend the workings of his vehicle.
The Formula 1 dominator Max Verstappen may become the world champion this season, but he's experiencing difficulties with his vehicle in Monaco. Following the qualifying event, Verstappen didn't hesitate to share his opinions on the issues with his Red Bull car.
As the Monte Carlo racetrack presents a significant challenge for Verstappen and his past star car, he'll be starting from sixth place on Sunday (3 p.m./Sky and live on ntv.de). Verstappen openly discussed the drawbacks of his Red Bull car after the qualifying session.
"We experimented with the car's setup, but it feels like I'm driving a go-kart," he mentioned. "It seems like I have no grip on the car. It jumps around, can't handle kerbs, bumps, or slopes on the track."
This "fundamental issue" has been ongoing and unresolved for several years, as Red Bull hasn't been able to address it during their period of superiority. Since 2022, the car has exhibited these issues, but their larger lead at the time concealed the problem. When competitors start gaining ground and a team doesn't work to improve their weakest areas, their progress will eventually catch up. "That's exactly what's happening here," Verstappen expressed.
"Nightmare Track"
Mclaren and even Ferrari have been making headway in the last two races, making Monaco's winding city course a "nightmare track" for Verstappen. He's not optimistic about finding a prompt solution to the problem this season: "We need to pin down the root of the problem. But it's clear that we don't understand it right now."
While the competition closes in on Red Bull, there may be issues on other types of track too. "There are other tracks with bumps, or those that require taking kerbs, where we could face further difficulties. I believe there are a few tracks that are less suitable for us. But there are also those that suit us well," Verstappen emphasized.
With a comfortable lead in the World Championship, Verstappen is in first place and Charles Leclerc, the second-place driver, is behind by 48 points, while Leclerc starts from pole position. Despite this, Verstappen isn't troubled by the title just yet. "We're not flawless. We need to comprehend our limits, and make improvements," he declared.
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Source: www.ntv.de
