Verstappen is wary of Ferrari and Aston Martin in Monaco. Max Verstappen admits that he expects the Monaco Grand Prix weekend to be more difficult for Red Bull than the opening rounds of the campaign
So far, the Milton Keynes-based team has enjoyed a faultless run with five wins from five races contested, which has allowed them to build a significant lead in the constructors’ world championship with already 122 points ahead of second-placed Aston Martin.
Qualifying weakness
Although the Red Bull RB19 is undoubtedly the fastest car this early in the season, its weak point remains the qualifying session after being beaten by Ferrari in Baku when Charles Leclerc secured pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“I think it’s going to be a bit more difficult [than the opening rounds] and closer. But we still have a good car, so we’ll just try to make the most of it,” said Verstappen in Monaco on Thursday.
“We know that on a lap it’s not normally our strong point. Nonetheless, we’ve set quite a few pole positions this year, so anything is possible.”
MORE F1 NEWS: Hamilton to Ferrari update
Ferrari & Aston Martin threats
The Dutchman expects to see some fast Ferraris this weekend in the Principality and is not forgetting Aston Martin either, which has still managed four podium finishes since the start of the season.
“I think Charles [Leclerc] and Ferrari in general [will be strong]. Carlos [Sainz] is also quite comfortable on this circuit. I also think that Aston Martin are quite good at low speeds, whereas they haven’t been as effective on the straights. So I suppose they’ll be in the fight here too.”
READ MORE – Honda Aston Martin: Alonso speaks out
Mercedes a threat?
As for Mercedes – who arrived in Monaco with an updated single-seater – the reigning world champion doesn’t know what to expect:
“It’s difficult to say for them as it is for us, because first you have to understand the new concept. I don’t know where it’s going to put them.”
Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Max Verstappen still leads the drivers’ championship by fourteen points over his team-mate Sergio Perez.
READ MORE: Leclerc shy when asked about Hamilton arrival
