Max Verstappen expects Red Bull to bounce back in Barcelona: “We should return to Imola form”. Max Verstappen expects Red Bull to return to its Imola performance level at the Spanish GP.

The Dutchman is optimistic
“Arriving in Barcelona 25 points ahead before the new technical directive was our goal,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner at the end of the Monaco Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen finished off the podium behind Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc.

In Spain, the new technical directive concerning flexible wings will come into effect, preventing them from bending as they had in the first eight race weekends. Red Bull hopes to close the gap to McLaren thanks to this regulation change, although the Milton Keynes-based team had already matched Woking’s performance in Imola. Max Verstappen has won the last three editions of the Grand Prix at the Montmeló circuit and this weekend he will aim for his fifth career win there, having also triumphed in 2016 on his Red Bull debut.

“Monaco wasn’t our race. We did everything right, but in the end, we couldn’t do much more after the result in qualifying,” said Max Verstappen. “Looking ahead to Spain, the final race of this triple-header, we expect a better performance and one closer to what we had in Imola. I think we should feel more comfortable with the car and therefore be more competitive. The track has long corners and high-speed turns, and it’s always fun to drive there. I won my first Formula 1 race in Barcelona, and I hope we can show the best version of ourselves this weekend.” – the four-time Formula 1 world champion concluded ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at the 4.657-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.