Verstappen determined to 'change' poor Monaco track record

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Max Verstappen has raced five times in Monaco where he resides, but for all his familiarity with his home track, the Red Bull driver has yet to secure a podium in the Principality.

But a good many Verstappen fans would likely dispute that fact and point to F1's last visit to Monte Carlo in 2019, when the Dutchman gave race winner Lewis Hamilton a run for his money and crossed the finish line just behind the Mercedes driver, only to be handed a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release earlier in the day that demoted him to fourth.

Armed with a strong car and determination to boot, Verstappen will be a man on a mission next weekend in Monaco.

"The Monaco Grand Prix is always very special, it’s very different to other tracks, the circuit is very narrow but also amazing to drive over one lap in qualifying," Verstappen said in Red Bull's race preview.

"You can really feel when you have got it all hooked up and the lap is going to be a good one - that makes you smile.

"I’ve never been on the podium in Monaco so I would like to change that! We just need to have a clean weekend, I think that is very important.

"We’ll see if we are fast or not but so far in qualifying, we have been quite close, so I just hope it’s going to be the same in Monaco."

Read also: McLaren ready to profit from looming Hamilton-Verstappen clash

On a track that takes no prisoners, Verstappen knows he'll need to be on his A game in qualifying and on race day.

"I know very well that there is no margin for error in Monaco, we just have to make sure we nail it on Saturday," he added.

"Of course then on Sunday it is usually straight forward as overtaking is so difficult but a lot of things can happen.

"We need to be at our best now on Saturday and Sunday to make sure we are on the top step of the podium."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.