Max Verstappen is set to prove himself once again in Canada. The reigning world champion stumbled in Monaco – issues with the setup of his RB20 meant that Verstappen could only manage a sixth-place finish. In Montreal, Red Bull faces the challenge of staying one step ahead of the competition. The Dutchman is optimistic about the further development of his car.
As the race weekend in Montreal approaches, Max Verstappen shared insights about the RB20 and how Red Bull is developing it. During the Monaco qualification, it became clear that the car struggles with the circuit’s unevenness – the numerous kerbstones prevented the three-time world champion from setting a fast time.
Verstappen Discusses Challenges with RB20
“I think we have a lot of work to do, and we know it,” Verstappen said about his RB20. “It’s been a problem since the first day of these regulations and we haven’t been able to solve it yet. Monaco was a wake-up call. We’ve had a lot of good discussions in the factory and I feel there’s now more focus on solving the problem.”
Failed Simulations
During the Canadian GP, which he previously said would be a challenging race, Verstappen does not expect significant improvement compared to Monaco. “Everyone is getting closer and you can’t rely on your lead anymore, even when it comes to problems with kerbstones,” he continued. “We can’t solve these problems within a week, but we’re certainly going to try to optimize things.”
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko previously painted a worrying picture – the Austrian said that the simulations did not match the performance on the track. Verstappen wants to nuance that. “It’s very difficult to always hit the nail on the head with the sim,” he admitted. “But it’s still a very useful tool. It helps us as drivers to move forward and we can try out a lot. For some circuits, that tool just works better than for others.”
