Verstappen Battles ‘Go-Kart’ Like Red Bull in Monaco Qualifying: A Deep Dive into the Team’s Kerb-Riding Conundrum

Max Verstappen sheds light on Red Bull's challenges with kerb handling during F1 qualifying in Monaco, describing it as a 'fundamental' problem that made his car feel "like a go-kart."

Max Verstappen expressed that Red Bull's difficulty with handling kerbs made him feel as though he was piloting a "go-kart" throughout the qualifying rounds of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.

Defending world champion Verstappen missed out on setting a new record for pole positions, managing only the sixth-fastest time after hitting the barrier on his last lap of Q3.

Verstappen and his fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, who was eliminated in the first qualifying round in 18th position, have faced difficulties controlling their vehicles throughout the weekend, as their car's performance dipped on Monaco's uneven surfaces and curbs.

Verstappen elaborated, "We experimented with numerous adjustments to the car, but unfortunately, none of them led to any improvement, leaving us in a difficult situation."

"There isn't much that can be done. We made every effort to improve the situation, but eventually, when you hit a wall with that… it's evident in the second sector where we're significantly lacking."

"Simply because if I make contact with any curbs, it greatly disrupts the car, resulting in a significant loss of lap time and making it extremely challenging."

Verstappen commented, "We tried a range of setups, from soft to hard, but it feels like the car is on rails, almost as if there's no suspension at all when I'm driving."

"It's constantly moving erratically, failing to absorb any impact from the curbs, bumps, or changes in the road surface. In the final corner, the number of times I nearly collided with the wall is truly astonishing."

"This issue isn't a recent development. The problem has been ongoing since 2022. In the past few years, our advantage in the automotive sector somewhat concealed it."

"However, when others start catching up by default and you fail to enhance your weakest area, your shortcomings become apparent, and that's exactly what occurred this past weekend."

Verstappen acknowledged that the problem is inherent and not one that can be resolved in a matter of weeks.

"To begin, it's crucial that we grasp the concept, as it's evident we currently lack comprehension," he stated.

"We're committed to identifying the issue and then, naturally, aiming to eliminate it. While it may not be achievable this year, we're optimistic about making progress by next year."

When questioned about the potential outcomes for Sunday's grand prix, Verstappen responded, "Who knows."

"I'm giving it my all, but the car is incredibly difficult to handle. Approaching Turn 1, as soon as I hit the bumps, it unpredictably loses control."

"Nothing was a major error, but driving the car feels like balancing on a razor's edge; it's just the way things are."

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