Red Bull driver Max Verstappen cut a downbeat figure after a challenging first day of practice for the Monaco Grand Prix that featured set-up struggles, radio complaints and several brushes with the barriers.
Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez were only 11th and 12th fastest in FP1, having posted their best times on medium tyres, but a switch to softs for FP2 yielded only fourth and eighth on the timesheets.
FP2: Home hero Leclerc sets the pace during busy second practice in Monaco from Hamilton and Alonso
Verstappen was also heard commenting over the radio that his RB20 was jumping around “like a kangaroo”, while he tapped the wall on multiple occasions – including a thump as he rounded the Mirabeau Bas corner.
Offering his thoughts at the end of the day, Verstappen said: “I don’t think I even can describe what is actually going on. It’s just very difficult. It’s not something that I didn’t expect, but it’s definitely at the higher end of the worst possible outcome of the weekend so far.
“There are a lot of bumps, kerbs and camber changes as well in the track, and for us that is basically impossible to take. Every time that we go over it, we lose a lot of lap time, just because the car doesn’t ride it well.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
