Before the Monaco Grand Prix, there had been some hope that things might be different this time. Because this course along the harbor and between the street canyons is so unique. Above all, slower than any other stop on the Formula 1 calendar, without a long high-speed road. But in the end, the team that won the five previous races this season triumphed again: Red Bull, the permanent winner in Monte Carlo this decade, with world champion Max Verstappen at the wheel.
It’s not even a third of the season, so a lot can still happen. But the fact that the construction by designer Adrian Newey, which was so outstanding this year, could not be conquered again will have increased the disillusionment among the competition – as well as the impression that after 2021 and 2022 the title should again be handed over to the British-Austrian racing team , most likely back to Verstappen. The Dutchman now leads the general standings with 144 points, ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez (105), whose gap has widened by 25 points this week after finishing just 16th. Last year, the Mexican won at this point.
At the fourth stop in Baku, race winner Perez had reinforced his position as most likely the biggest competitor for the World Championship. But then came Miami, where Verstappen swept through to victory from ninth on the grid and proved what he had said before: that he always thought he was unbeatable. The 25-year-old underscored his number one status in the Principality. A look at the result list shows how much he dominated: he was 27 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin. The fact that Esteban Ocon (Alpine) finished third in front of the two heavily revised Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell was surprising and then brought some variety. But the Frenchman will not be a guest in the illustrious round all too often this year. Behind him was Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), who still has to wait in vain for a win at his home race. The German Nico Hulkenberg was 17th in the Haas.
“Max was simply faster than us”
Verstappen has now become the most successful Red Bull driver. With 39 victories for this team, the two-time champion has overtaken four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who paid a visit to the paddock in Monaco as a motorsport pensioner. “If you have a good car for a while, you know you can break those numbers,” Verstappen said as he sat happily on the white sofa at the press conference between Alonso and Ocon. “Growing up I wanted to be a Formula 1 driver. Winning all these races now is amazing, better than I ever imagined.”
Alonso was most likely to be able to postpone reaching this record. The 41-year-old Spaniard has been presented with a trophy in five out of six races, finishing third four times, now second, his worst result being fourth in Baku. It’s his strongest year in a long time. And the AMR23 is strong. But on the Côte d’Azur, Alonso had to admit: “We didn’t have a chance, to be honest.” Aston Martin have chosen a bold strategy of going into the race with the more durable hard tire compound instead of the medium tire compound like Verstappen. All or nothing was the motto. But: “Max was simply faster than us.”
What is the secret of this car? The competition would like to know that.
(Photo: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images/Imago)
Verstappen extended his lead right after the start on Pentecost Sunday in a race that was like a procession for about two-thirds of its 78 laps before it turned into a slippery slope because of the heavy rain. With minor accidents, changed positions and collisions with crash barriers, the entertainment factor increased significantly. The RB19 also slid properly over the tarmac, but Verstappen was lucky and kept control. “It was a bit of a tough day in the wet, but also quite a fun one,” he said.
How enormous his self-confidence is and how great the car must be for him was shown even more clearly in the extremely exciting qualifying session. In the last minute, Alonso had beaten Leclerc in the fight for pole position by 0.022 seconds. Even that was impressive. Verstappen had one last try – and withstood the enormous pressure: he undercut the time by 84 thousandths. “Max was always in control of the situation in all conditions – dry, semi-dry, extremely wet – and controlled the pace with ease,” said Helmut Marko, Red Bull motorsport consultant. “An incredible performance.”
Of course, the competition would like to know how Red Bull managed to screw such a marvel of technology onto the wheels again in the second year of the aerodynamic rule change. The RB19 sits low, yet is quiet and fast. Saturday was also exciting in this regard: After Sergio Perez had an accident (that’s why he had to start from 20th place with modest prospects), his car – like the freshly revised W14 from Lewis Hamilton, who also crashed – was lifted by a crane during transport to the pulled the air. This gave a clear view of areas that are otherwise hidden from the public and should remain so.
How the air ducts running along the underbody, which are crucial for overall downforce and performance, are designed is one of the well-kept secrets of every team. Now everything could be wonderfully viewed, photographed and analyzed by the aerodynamicists. Only then for the ideal mix you still need an extremely strong-nerved driver. And in Barcelona, where the next race takes place on Sunday, Red Bull achieved a double success last year. Max Verstappen won ahead of Sergio Perez.