Is this year a little more difficult for us?

Max Verstappen sees one point of improvement with Red Bull this season: speed in qualifying. Certainly in Monaco, where qualifying is crucial, it becomes important to find the speed in one lap: “It’s a little more difficult for us this year.”

After Verstappen retired twice in the first three races of the season, he won the last three races. However, Verstappen does not believe the momentum is with Red Bull after that good streak. “Not really, you need some luck,” Verstappen said in Monaco. “The Grand Prix in Spain was very hectic, we didn’t have the speed for a single lap. In the race Charles (Leclerc, editor) seemed to move away before I crossed the gravel. We take it race by race. Monaco is hard to say where it stands in terms of performance.†

Read also: Verstappen eyes ‘old school’ in Monaco: ‘Always at the limit’

Although things are going well for Verstappen in the races, in qualifying he has not been entirely successful this season. He has only taken first place once and because qualifying in Monaco is important, there is work to be done for Red Bull. “You have this here performance In one round, it will be more difficult for us this year,” Verstappen knows.

“Ferrari has to be strong here. We have to find a good balance, then we’ll see”, Verstappen continues. Is this one-lap speed in Monaco a real Verstappen concern? “We have to get that cycle done, and that’s what we’re aiming for. I don’t know if that’s where it is. If it was, we would have already dealt with it.”

Also read: Weather forecast: Shall we have a sunny weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix?

The weather looks good in Monaco at the moment, although some rain and thunderstorms may appear on Sunday. Verstappen hopes those showers won’t go away if he takes center stage. “If you don’t have a good qualification, you’re hoping for a storm. But it can also be bad for you, and that’s bad cheater†