Verstappen Sees a Chance in Monaco

Max Verstappen may call Monaco home, but he refuses to call himself a favourite. After his first podium of the season in Canada, the Red Bull driver remains realistic: the RB22 still has weaknesses, and the streets of Monte Carlo expose every flaw. Still… this is Monaco, where chaos is tradition and opportunity is never far away.

Verstappen sees “Opportunities, but only if everything Falls Our Way”

Media day in Monaco always brings a storm of questions, and Max Verstappen was once again at the centre of attention. Though he lives just minutes from the circuit, he was quick to point out that everyone lives in Monaco and only one driver is truly racing at home: Charles Leclerc.

But the real topic was performance. After returning to the podium in Canada, many wondered whether Red Bull could repeat that result this weekend. Verstappen immediately cooled expectations.

“If we look at it realistically, a podium isn’t really possible for us right now,” he said when asked by Tom Clarkson. “But Monaco can always bring surprises.”

Slow corners suit the RB22, but Kerbs and Bumps don’t

Verstappen acknowledged that the RB22 has strengths that could help around the tight, technical streets.

“From our perspective, we’ve actually been pretty okay in the slow corners,” he explained. With no high‑speed sections in Monaco, the team’s usual understeer issues should be less of a problem. However, the Dutchman also highlighted a major concern: kerb riding.
“You need to be good over the bumps and kerbstones here, and that’s not our strongest area. We need to see how the car feels with the updates we brought after Canada.”

The RB22 has historically struggled when the suspension is heavily loaded over uneven surfaces, a trait that can punish drivers through the Swimming Pool, the chicane and the approach to Rascasse.

Battery Performance still a limiting factor

Verstappen also admitted that Red Bull’s battery deployment remains behind the best on the grid. In Montreal, the team lost time both on the straights and in corner exits.

Monaco’s layout, short bursts of acceleration, heavy braking zones and constant traction demands, makes energy deployment crucial. Any deficit becomes visible immediately.

“There Is a Chance – But Everything Has to Go Right”

Despite the realism, Verstappen didn’t rule out a strong result. Monaco is notorious for unpredictability: Safety Cars, red flags, strategy gambles and driver errors often reshape the race.

“If things happen around us, mistakes, safety cars, strategy moments, then yes, there’s a chance,” he said. “But we need everything to fall our way.”

With overtaking nearly impossible, qualifying will again be the decisive moment. If Verstappen can position himself near the front, the door to the podium may open, even if only a crack.

Hadjar: “Max doesn’t hide anything and that helps me a lot”

While Verstappen kept expectations low, teammate Isack Hadjar offered a more upbeat assessment of Red Bull’s prospects. The French rookie reflected positively on his first months with the team and praised Verstappen for his openness. “Max doesn’t hide anything,” Hadjar said. “He’s very transparent with me, and that makes a big difference.”

Hadjar admitted he still needs to reduce his error rate as he continues to adapt to life at the front of the grid. “I’m doing the difficult things well, staying close to Max, for example. But there are still some easier things where I make mistakes. If I fix those, I’ll score more points.”

Despite the challenges, Hadjar feels optimistic heading into Monaco. He believes the RB22 could surprise. “I have a good feeling about this weekend. If everything comes together, this car could even fight for a podium.” His confidence adds an interesting contrast to Verstappen’s caution and suggests Red Bull may have more potential in Monte Carlo than expected.