Max Verstappen stays calm in F1 title fight: “It only matters at the final race”. Max Verstappen reflects on his Imola win and eyes a cautious Monaco GP.

The Dutchman expects a ‘defensive’ weekend
Max Verstappen claimed his second win of the season in Imola, after already triumphing in Suzuka, Japan. No one before the Dutchman had ever won four consecutive races at Imola. His 65th career victory brought the Red Bull driver within 22 points of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

Speaking at the press conference ahead of the Monaco GP, Max Verstappen said he anticipates a defensive approach in the Principality: “This weekend I’m more cautious; we usually do well on high-speed tracks. Even when you have the best car, putting the lap together here is still difficult,” Verstappen said. “What makes Monaco special? I’d say how challenging the track is. It’s narrow, bumpy, and with overtaking so difficult, qualifying is crucial. I’d say it’s pretty crazy. Monaco is a place where even the track has to go your way. It really depends on where you are in traffic. You never feel relaxed here, you’re always on edge. I don’t even know how the new C6 tyres will perform here. A double pit stop? Maybe it could liven things up a bit. But even if you nail the first stop, you can’t relax until the end.”

As for the title chase, Max Verstappen is in no rush: “Battle with McLaren? What matters is where you are at the final race. We still have areas of the car to improve. We learned a lot in Imola. We’ve worked hard on the simulator. We know what we need from the car, but it’s been a year and a half now that its operating window has been narrow.”

In 2023, Max Verstappen pulled off a stunning pole lap in Monaco despite an imperfect first two sectors: “Pole in 2023? I knew I was behind in the first two sectors and had to take some risks. It worked.”