In a repeat of last year, Perez experienced the same fate in the first qualifying round, with only the two Sauber cars behind him.
The reigning champion found himself in sixth place after colliding with the wall at Sainte-Devote during his final qualifying attempt.
The Dutch driver struggled to keep up with the pace set by Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, who were battling for pole position.
Approaching Turn One aggressively, his car made contact with the barriers, forcing him to abandon his lap.
Although the collision did not cause significant damage, it caused the 26-year-old driver to drop below Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, and George Russell.
Starting in sixth place on the grid, it seems unlikely that the three-time world champion will maintain his streak of podiums in all Grand Prix completed in 2024.
After the session, a journalist questioned whether this was Verstappen’s first major mistake of the year. He responded sharply, stating: “I wouldn’t say that.
“I would gladly invite anyone in this paddock to drive this car and try to beat my speed.”
Verstappen had been struggling with the car’s performance since the beginning of the race weekend in Monaco, finishing the first practice session in the lower half of the pack.
Despite improving his times later on, he continued to have difficulties with the bumps and kerbs in the following sessions.
The RB20 was on the limit throughout the challenging streets of the Principality, and Red Bull’s struggles reflected their poor performance on similar street circuits.
Last year, the reigning champions faced difficulties in Singapore, and it is possible that the same will happen in the next race in Canada.
Verstappen confirmed this after qualifying, stating that it is indeed a specific track issue. He commented: “For sure it is.”
There are a few more tracks coming up where it is bumpy and where you need to navigate the right kerbs.
“It is definitely a limitation for us.”
Unfortunately for Verstappen, overtaking is nearly impossible in Monaco, making his starting position in sixth place a challenge for the race.
His teammate, Sergio Perez, anticipates an even more frustrating afternoon. Once again, Perez was eliminated in Q1, with only the two Sauber cars behind him in the first part of qualifying.
