Stoic Verstappen Looking Beyond 'Painful' Monza Weekend
Verstappen says Red Bull could be exposed on Monza’s long straights as rivals bring upgrades and he recovers from illness after the Dutch GP.
- Max Verstappen faces a challenging Italian Grand Prix this weekend at Monza, where he expects his Red Bull car to struggle on the high-speed circuit. The four-time world champion said the experience will be "painful."
- Verstappen enters the event following a difficult Dutch Grand Prix last month, where he crashed on the opening lap and admitted feeling "very ill" throughout the weekend. He required several days to recover from illness.
- Red Bull Racing driver Liam Lawson will again deputize for teammate Isack Hadjar, who remains sidelined by a wrist injury. The team confirmed on Wednesday that Lawson will continue alongside Verstappen at Monza.
- The four-time world champion noted that current hybrid cars are "inefficient for Monza," where long straights demand constant energy management. "You have to keep an eye on how much energy you are using," Verstappen said.
- Currently sixth in the standings with 112 points, Verstappen is prioritizing long-term development over immediate results. He aims to "get to know the car better" to chart the team's direction for next year.
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Stoic Verstappen looking beyond 'painful' Monza weekend
The four-time world champion said the new hybrid era cars are "inefficient for Monza" where long straights at high speed require more power than at any other circuit. "It’s going to be really painful," he said. "The cars are simply inefficient for Monza, but there’s not much point in staying negative. "It is what it is and I have prepared myself mentally for it. I know this weekend will be different to what we are used to." Verstappen won here…
Max Verstappen revealed that he suffered from a serious illness at the Dutch Grand Prix. He said that flu-like symptoms continued for several days after the race, but after a week of rest, he has fully recovered ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, with his health concerns resolved, Verstappen has a pessimistic outlook on Red Bull Racing's competitiveness at Monza.
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