Max Verstappen, the Dutch driver from Red Bull Racing, has been facing a higher number of errors in Formula 1 this season, according to Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur. Red Bull has been the dominant force in the sport since the introduction of ground effect cars in 2022, winning almost every race last season and retaining their titles. However, both Ferrari and McLaren have recently made improvements that have allowed them to win races and challenge Red Bull’s dominance. This was evident in Monaco, where Red Bull had a tough weekend and Ferrari emerged as the winner. Vasseur believes that Verstappen’s performance has been affected by pressure, as he has struggled with the RB20 car in the last three races. In Monaco, Verstappen made a mistake during his final qualifying lap, which Vasseur sees as a sign that he is more prone to errors when pushing harder. Vasseur’s earlier comments about Red Bull’s vulnerability under pressure seem to be validated by Verstappen’s recent performance.
The difficulties of Red Bull in Monaco were the result of struggles navigating the curbs, causing Verstappen to reveal that this has been a continuous issue hidden by their previous domination. When asked about his surprise at Red Bull’s weaknesses, Vasseur stated that they were not apparent because the team had not been pushed to the limit. Last year, there was a significant difference between Red Bull and other teams in qualifying, but in terms of race pace, the difference was only four or five tenths. This meant they were not really at risk. Vasseur cited examples such as Max starting in P9 in Jeddah last year and quickly taking the lead after three laps. Red Bull had a certain comfort, but anything could happen. Even strategically, with Max stopping in Austria on the last lap to secure the fastest lap, they had a one-stop advantage. However, this season, the situation has changed and the mistakes are no longer transparent. Vasseur emphasized that this applies not only to his team, but also to the battle between Red Bull and McLaren, as McLaren is now closer in performance. Despite the difficulties in Monaco, Vasseur expressed confidence in Red Bull’s ability to bounce back. Verstappen finished sixth in Monaco, while Perez retired on the first lap. Vasseur believed that Red Bull would come back soon and be strong. He acknowledged that it would not be easy until the end of the season, especially with the next race in Canada, which has different characteristics in terms of speed and strength, but shares similarities with Monaco in terms of curbs and low-speed corners. Vasseur concluded by stating that different cars will perform better on different tracks, making the competition intense until the end.
