Max Verstappen expects Red Bull’s performance to improve in Canada this week compared to the team’s dismal weekend in Monaco, but the Dutchman still fears a bumpy ride for his RB20 in Montreal.
Suspension compliance issues significantly weighed on Red Bull and Verstappen’s performance last time out in the Principality where bumps and kerbs about around the famous street circuit.
The end result was a disappointing P6 in qualifying and on race day, while teammate Sergio Perez failed to even make the Q2 cut on Saturday before his dramatic opening lap crash in the race.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – which has just been resurfaced – shares some similarities with Monaco that require a fair amount of aggressive kerb-hopping at certain corners that might magnify once again the RB20’s relative weakness according to Verstappen.
“We have to wait and see [how we'll perform in Canada], new surface as well I think, that might also give us some surprises," said the three-time world champion.
"But it is probably also not going to be our strongest weekend because of that. But probably a little bit better than [Monaco].
"[We'll be weaker at] any track that is bumpy or has kerbs, or you have to ride a lot of kerbs, so the street circuits will probably be a little bit tricky. But hopefully by then, we have a little bit of understanding of what is going on."
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner fears that Montreal’s resurfacing could prove more significant than many foresee, while the Briton also expects his team’s closest rivals, Ferrari and McLaren, to continue breathing down its neck.
"It's a track that we've performed well at previously. They've resurfaced the whole circuit again. So let's see," Horner said.
"But Ferrari, McLaren, they're quick. It was always going to happen that there was going to be convergence. This has been a tough weekend, but we're still leading both championships.
"We'll look to take the lessons out of this weekend and apply them to the next one.
"[Canada is] very much traction, but with a new surface you don't know what the balance is going to swing to."
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