F1 Racing Championship - Verstappen faces intensifying competition from Ferrari and McLaren.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen tried to ignore concerns about his title campaign slipping away. After finishing sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix, he stated, "We're a team that stays strong, we don't overreact, analyze the race, and keep going." However, his car's recent poor performance is a cause for concern, with Ferrari and McLaren closing in.
The Dutch driver tagged it as a "weekend to forget" and a time for learning. Meanwhile, winner Charles Leclerc from Ferrari celebrated a long-coveted victory, relishing his triumph in his hometown. But that's about it.
Leclerc, now the closest challenger to Verstappen, only trails him by 31 points in the overall standings. The Monegasque won in his home country for the first time in almost two years. He too downplayed any talk of the title race, saying, "I'm not thinking about the championship, it's too early in the season."
A Urgent Shift for Red Bull
But Leclerc isn't Verstappen's only worry - and probably not his biggest one either. McLaren's young duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are quickly closing the huge gap to Red Bull. "We're confident. We can win on any track now," said Piastri, who finished second in Monaco while Norris came fourth. In the championship, they're at sixth and third, which indicates they're a threat to Verstappen in two weeks in Canada.
Verstappen doesn't seem thrilled about the upcoming race in Montreal. "It won't be our best weekend," he said, referring to the curbstones and numerous undulations on the Notre-Dame island circuit. These features make the car unstable again, just like at Monaco where Red Bull didn't make any significant upgrades. "They still have some potential left for this year," said ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher on Sky. Hence, Red Bull needs to step up its game.
Verstappen's Still on Top
Despite the issues, Verstappen isn't panicking, having won five out of eight races so far. He acknowledged that the current season is different from the dominant one last year, recalling how Michael Schumacher was six wins clear at this stage in the 2004 season. "A season like that doesn't come often and we're realistic," said the defending champion. "It's about understanding the reasons for the issues we're facing." He believes this will bring them more speed.
Unfortunately, McLaren and Ferrari have made some improvements already, while Red Bull is yet to make significant upgrades to their cars. The latter's performance likely to improve when that happens. And at Monaco, Verstappen was faster than some opponents, but overtaking was impossible due to the narrow barriers.
Ferrari Optimistic for a Three-Team Battle
Sainz, Ferrari's other driver, believes Red Bull isn't as dominant as before. "It looks like we're getting stronger and stronger every weekend," he said, having finished third in Monaco. He also expects Red Bull to be challenged constantly. "Red Bull are still favorites, but they won't dominate like they used to - which is good for the championship," Sainz added.
Vasseur, Ferrari's team manager, also seems excited about the potential three-team fight. "It looks like we're getting stronger and stronger every weekend. It's a great feeling to be back in the fight at the front. Now, there are three teams fighting at the front. I hope this will continue in the championship until the end."
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- Ferrari and McLaren Group Limited, with drivers like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, are closing in on Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 racing championship.
- Lando Norris, one of McLaren's young drivers, finished fourth at the Monaco Grand Prix, while his teammate, Oscar Piastri, came second, indicating a threatening position in the championship.
- Red Bull, despite Verstappen's five wins this season, is facing concerns due to their car's recent poor performance, with both Ferrari and McLaren showing improvement.
- Ferrari's Charles Leclerc celebrated a long-desired victory in Monaco, winning in his hometown and narrowing the gap between him and Verstappen in the overall standings.
- Michael Schumacher, a Formula 1 legend, had a six-win lead at this stage in the 2004 season, a feat that Verstappen currently lacks, acknowledging the significance of this season.
- Verstappen, while still leading the championship, expressed concerns about the current season being different from his dominant one last year, promising to understand and address the issues.
- Ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull has potential left for this year and needs to improve their car performance, especially for the upcoming races like Montreal's Grand Prix.
- McLaren's performance is already showing improvements, placing them as a potential threat to Red Bull in the upcoming races, with Leclerc and Norris consistently performing well.
- Ferrari's team manager, Vasseur, is hopeful for a three-team battle in the championship, expressing excitement at the team's improved performance and closeness to Red Bull.
- Lando Norris, despite Red Bull's recent struggles, reaffirmed their confidence in winning on any track, believing in their abilities and potential to make significant upgrades.
- Max Verstappen, despite finishing sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix, remains optimistic about the championship, acknowledging the challenges but promising to work through them.
- The Mclaren Group Limited, Red Bull, and Ferrari are all looking forward to the upcoming GP Monaco, knowing that every race is crucial in the Formula 1 racing championship's title mission, with drivers like Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, and Hamilton ready to battle it out on the track.
Source: www.stern.de
