81st edition of the famous Monaco Grand Prix turned out to be even more monotonous than expected. An early interruption caused by a collision between Nico Hulkenberg of Haas and Sergio Perez of Red Bull resulted in everyone adopting a similar strategy.
There were no overtakes in the top ten positions, including championship leader Verstappen, who finished the race in sixth place behind George Russell of Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc broke the curse in his home race by winning on the streets of Monaco, while Oscar Piastri for McLaren and Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari completed the podium.
Verstappen, who only managed to qualify in the third row of the grid due to stability issues on curbs and bumps in his RB20, attempted a late pit stop for new hard tires, but still couldn’t overtake Russell and ended up finishing where he started the 78-lap race.
The Dutchman’s lead in the drivers’ championship has now been reduced to just 31 points ahead of Leclerc, while Ferrari narrowed the gap to Red Bull in the constructors’ championship to 24 points.
Verstappen echoed the sentiments of many Formula 1 fans after the race. When asked about his emotions by Sky Sports F1, the three-time world champion said: “Yeah… it wasn’t challenging at all. It was really, really boring.
“I mean, we ended up where we started. The strategy was ruined by the red flag, so we had to carry on with the medium tire.
“Driving 77 laps on the medium tire would be really tough, so from the restart, we were four seconds slower,” added the 26-year-old driver.
Verstappen hopes that the next Canadian Grand Prix will provide more exciting races for the spectators, but he has doubts about whether he will be able to fight for pole positions and victories after a challenging weekend in Monaco.
He said: “Naturally, we will see better races at the Canadian Grand Prix. It still won’t be an easy weekend because of the curbs. Our car doesn’t handle them well.
“They resurfaced the track, so this may bring some unexpected challenges.”
Verstappen concluded by stating that the Monaco Grand Prix weekend was a valuable learning experience to identify the major weaknesses of the Red Bull RB20, as the team aims to maintain the lead in both championships.
“This was a really tough weekend for us,” admitted the Dutch driver. “The only positive thing that comes out of this weekend is that we now understand our major weakness and that’s what we really need to work on.
“Because if we can solve that or at least make it decent, we will immediately gain a lot of time per lap, and that’s promising.”
The Canadian Grand Prix starts on Sunday, June 9th, at 19:00 BST (14:00 local time). Will Verstappen regain the top position in Montreal?
2024
Sports fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the next sporting event that will take place this year. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting sports events worldwide last year, fans are more than ready to see their favorite athletes in action again.
This year promises to be full of excitement and fierce competition. The best athletes in each sport will be competing to claim the title and prove their skill. It will be an epic battle that fans won’t want to miss.
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This sports event promises to be the best yet. With world-class athletes competing in various sports, fans can expect exciting and surprising moments. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this history and witness the greatness of the world’s best athletes.
2024 will be a memorable year for sports fans. Get ready for fierce competition, thrilling moments, and an incredible atmosphere. Don’t miss out on this epic event and become part of sports history.
