Max Verstappen took second place in the classification for the Monaco Grand Prix. The Dutchman was behind Kimi Antonelli by a small margin. Red Bull recorded its best performance in a qualifying session this season.
The result came as a surprise given the car’s known difficulties on tracks with undulations and curbs. Verstappen, however, avoided celebrating the performance as a definitive sign of progress. He indicated that the next stage will provide more reliable data on the team’s real potential.
Verstappen highlights specific characteristics of Monaco
The four-time world champion explained that the Monte Carlo circuit requires a softer suspension setting. This setup helped mask some of the RB22’s limitations.
“You always need to run the car reasonably softly in terms of set-up and suspension,” said Verstappen. He acknowledged improvement in this aspect, but reinforced that this is still a limitation for the team in gaining speed.
The Red Bull car, built in partnership with Ford on the power unit, had chassis problems throughout the start of the season. Monaco’s unique requirements appeared to alleviate some of these shortcomings. Verstappen did not attribute the good result solely to the track conditions.
Driver admits surprise with dispute for pole
Despite almost taking pole position, Verstappen confessed that he did not expect Red Bull to be in the fight for the lead. The team made limited adjustments after the third free practice.
“In that respect, I’m still a little surprised that we were fighting for pole position,” commented the Dutchman. He mentioned the few changes made to the car. The driver avoided crediting the performance exclusively to external factors such as the layout of the track.
Normally, according to him, this type of track would not favor the Red Bull car in the way observed. The result represents the team’s best grid this season. Still, Verstappen maintained a cautious tone about the conclusions.
Team seeks confirmation of progress in Barcelona
The Dutchman pointed to the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix as the most accurate test to measure Red Bull’s progress. The Spanish track has different characteristics to those in Monaco.
Verstappen insisted that no conclusions should be drawn from the encouraging performance in qualifying. He highlighted that next weekend will reveal more clearly the real state of the car’s development. The Milton Keynes-based team seeks consistency beyond atypical circuits.
The RB22 showed unexpected potential in Monte Carlo. However, the driver reinforced the need to evaluate the set in conditions more representative of the season. Red Bull is trying to recover ground in the general classification.
- Kimi Antonelli secured pole position by the smallest margin over Verstappen
- Red Bull achieved its best classification of the season in Monaco
- Verstappen highlighted softer suspension setup as a key factor
- Driver avoided overestimating the result due to the particularities of the circuit
- Barcelona appears as the next parameter to measure the car’s evolution
- Team made limited adjustments between FP3 and qualifying
Pilot maintains focus on ongoing work
Verstappen completed the qualifying session satisfied with the laps performed, even dealing with traffic and proximity to the walls. He considered P2 a good result given the team’s recent context.
Red Bull is accumulating challenges with the chassis at the beginning of the year. The good performance in Monaco came after a more complicated FP3. The Dutchman valued the turnaround, but maintained realistic expectations for the following stages.
The partnership with Ford on the power unit was cited as a reference by the FIA. Even so, the set still has limitations on different types of track. Verstappen continues to be the team’s main reference in search of improvements.
Red Bull’s next steps for the season
The team now turns its attention to preparation in Barcelona. The track will allow for a broader analysis of the RB22’s performance. Verstappen and the engineers are looking to get the most out of the current package while developing upgrades.
The result in Monaco injected some optimism. The four-time champion, however, prefers to wait for data from more conventional circuits before celebrating consistent progress. Formula 1 continues with an intense calendar and tight margins between the main teams.
