More from Verstappen on his qualifying, first on where he was losing out to Ferrari and McLaren:
“Mainly the middle sector. All the low-speed mechanical grip corners, we didn’t have it.
“I couldn’t find more lap time compared to practice. Every time I had to ride a kerb or drop a wheel in a cambered corner, it didn’t grip up.
“As soon as we went out in qualifying, and I saw the lap time progression, I knew we were not in that fight.”
On whether he was surprised by Red Bull’s lack of pace:
“Not really. I know our car is not very good in low speed. This year, in qualifying, it’s always been very close between a lot of cars.
“If you are lacking feeling or balance in those corners, it’s not happening.”
Verstappen expects penalty for Hamilton
Max Verstappen speaking on his incident with Lewis Hamilton:
“At the time, you see the car blocking you and when you are there at high speed, it’s not nice.
“I saw the team told him I was driving slow when I was clearly driving fast, so it’s not Lewis’ fault.
“I quickly chatted to Lewis about it. It’s very simple but it can’t happen. But that’s the team’s mistake.”
On whether he thinks Hamilton will receive a penalty:
“If you look at the history of things yes. But it’s more the team’s fault. But normally in qualifying they are quite strict on these things.”
Monaco Qualifying Recap: Norris Snatches Stunning Pole
While Verstappen battled with balance issues, it was Lando Norris who stole the show in Monaco. The McLaren driver put in a phenomenal final lap to claim pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc and teammate Oscar Piastri. Leclerc had briefly led the session but couldn’t respond to Norris’s late surge.
Lewis Hamilton recovered well to secure fourth, while Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate failed to reach the front rows. Isack Hadjar impressed with P6 for Racing Bulls, and Fernando Alonso took seventh for Aston Martin.
With grid penalties looming for drivers like Ollie Bearman and Lance Stroll, Sunday’s race promises unpredictable drama — and for Verstappen, a challenge to climb back toward the front in a car that’s struggling where it matters most.
