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Max Verstappen sarcastically described the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix as very exciting while reflecting on his race to on-site media, including Sportskeeda. The Dutchman explained that he had little choice but to delay his second pit stop until the final laps to secure fourth place.
Despite leading a majority of the race in clean air, Verstappen was put on an unconventional strategy by Red Bull, choosing not to pit alongside his rivals for the second time. Instead, he stayed out until lap 77, hoping for a safety car or red flag that never came. However, with a gap of over a minute to Lewis Hamilton in fifth, Red Bull were confident they could still safely cover off fourth place.
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Reflecting on the strategy, Verstappen sarcastically called it an ‘exciting’ experience. He acknowledged that staying out was a calculated decision based on the slim chance of late-race incidents, and felt that even if they had pitted earlier, fourth would have likely been the maximum result.
Despite recent upgrades, Verstappen admitted the RB21 still struggles in slow-speed corners, particularly at Monaco. He noted that the car felt even less competitive in some areas than its predecessor, the RB20. Looking ahead, he revealed Red Bull's plan to bring smaller updates to the car in Barcelona, though nothing major at this stage.
Asked by Sportskeeda about Red Bull’s creative strategy to keep him out and his description of the race, Max Verstappen said:
“Yeah, very exciting. I was on the edge of my seat every lap, so it was fantastic, yeah.”
Asked if the strategy was worth keeping him out and delaying the second pitstop, he replied:
“Yeah, we had nothing to lose. We had a big gap behind, so yeah. When I read it, it was like 45 -50 seconds or something yeah there's not much you can pit of course and then you just drive by yourself or you just hope that something happens and you get lucky. But yeah that didn't come but also I was not really too I don't know. I was just my emotions were very neutral.”
Asked by Sportskeeda if the RB21 had improved in the slow-speed corners in Monaco compared to last year with the RB20, he replied:
“No, I don't think so. No, we were actually slower than last year in qualifying, so... No, I don't think we have improved what we wanted to improve around here.”
Asked if any upgrades are coming for the RB21 at the race weekend ahead, Max Verstappen said:
“Well, bits are coming.”
Max Verstappen gives his verdict on the mandatory two-stop strategy in Monaco.
Max Verstappen felt the mandatory two-stop strategy at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix offered him no advantage, joking that Formula 1 should try four pit stops next year instead. The Dutchman remarked that even with four stops, it wouldn’t have changed the outcome at the front or improved his finishing position beyond fourth.
Addressing speculation that he may have backed Lando Norris into the chasing pack, Max Verstappen dismissed the suggestion. He argued that even if he had intentionally slowed the pace, the nature of the Monte Carlo circuit would have made it nearly impossible for anyone behind to overtake. He added that he was simply driving with the limited grip available to him.
Asked for his opinion on the mandatory two-stop strategy, Max Verstappen said:
“I mean, maybe next year, four stops. I could have done four stops today. It would have still been P4. So yeah for us, at least up front, it didn't do anything.”
Asked if he planned to back Norris into Leclerc at any point in the race, he replied:
“I had no grip, I was just driving around with the grip that I had from the tyre, but you can see still then you can't pass.”
Finishing fourth in Monaco has widened the gap in the Drivers’ Championship between Max Verstappen and his McLaren rivals, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The Dutchman is now 22 points behind Norris, compared to just 9 points prior to the Monaco GP. He trails Piastri by 25 points, up from 22 before the race. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull Racing sit third with 143 points, just four points behind Mercedes in second, but a significant 176 points adrift of leaders McLaren. Ferrari is also closing in, sitting fourth with 142 points, only one point behind Red Bull.
