Max Verstappen plays down Red Bull’s Monaco breakthrough ahead of Barcelona test
Max Verstappen has warned that Red Bull’s impressive qualifying pace in Monaco may not accurately reflect the team’s overall competitiveness this season.
Max Verstappen has urged caution over Red Bull’s unexpectedly strong qualifying performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, warning that the result may not reflect the team’s true competitive position.
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The reigning world champion qualified second on the grid in Monte Carlo, narrowly missing out on pole position in what marked Red Bull’s most competitive one-lap display of the season so far.
Despite the encouraging result, Verstappen said the unique characteristics of the Monaco street circuit may have masked some of the RB22’s ongoing weaknesses, particularly over bumps and kerbs.
“You always have to run the car reasonably soft here in terms of set-up and suspension,” Verstappen explained.
“In that area, it was better, but it is still our limitation when it comes to going faster.”
He admitted he had not expected Red Bull to be in contention for pole, but added that small set-up changes made after final practice helped improve performance.
However, Verstappen stressed that more representative conditions at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona will provide a clearer indication of where the team truly stands in the 2026 season pecking order.