F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Verstappen: 'Barcelona podium bodes well for Monaco'

Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull's performance in the Spanish Grand Prix is an indication of good things to come for the team in Monaco.

Verstappen was able to improve from fifth place on the grid to finish on the podium in Barcelona, ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.

It was a welcome success for the Dutch driver, who had been under fire for mistakes in recent races.

"[Spain] has been a nice turning point after the first few races where it hasn't gone to plan," he admitted. "To come back and get on the podium [was] really nice."

He said that the RB14 had behaved well throughout the race on both medium and soft tyres, and that the handling had given him confidence moving forward.

"Our car was very strong in the last sector there, which is mainly low speed corners and what we need for Monaco."

Monaco is one of the few circuits on the calendar where the power performance of the Renault engine wil be less of a handicap to Red Bull on race day.

"Monaco doesn’t have any long straights, so I think it should be a good circuit for us," he said.

Verstappen was among the drivers to stay on in Spain to take part in the in-season test session. He was the fastest man on track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Tuesday, which had helped further lift his spirits.

"I also had a really positive test in Barcelona this week," he said. "And I hope for a good weekend in Monaco if we can find the right set-up.

"We will concentrate on the setup, get a good balance and hopefully put ourselves in with a real chance.

While the Monaco Grand Prix isn't a 'home' race for Verstappen in the traditional sense, it is in a pratical once since it's where he has his own residence.

"It is a nice weekend in general and also very good to sleep in your own apartment," he admitted.

"I’s a busy week but also a special week.

"The track is of course very challenging but I will enjoy it even more knowing that we have a chance of a good result."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.

Recent Posts

Pitwall hero: Sainz’s insight lifts Albon in Melbourne mayhem

Carlos Sainz’s Australian Grand Prix was over almost before it began on Sunday in Melbourne,…

3 hours ago

Doohan expects more home GPs, despite media speculation

Jack Doohan, despite intense media scrutiny and a crash at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix,…

4 hours ago

Australian GP: Sunday's action in pictures

The 2025 Australian Grand Prix was a heart-pounding spectacle, with McLaren’s Lando Norris mastering chaotic…

6 hours ago

Stella explains why McLaren intra-team battle was put on pause

The Australian Grand Prix took an unexpected turn at one point when McLaren issued a…

7 hours ago

Verstappen: No regrets over Red Bull's Aussie GP gamble

Max Verstappen put in a valiant effort at the Australian Grand Prix, emerging from a…

8 hours ago

Kimi’s comeback: Mercedes rookie snags P4 after penalty drama

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli marked his Formula 1 debut with a remarkable fourth-place finish at…

9 hours ago