Max Verstappen nearly clinched pole position in Monaco, recovering from a challenging practice session. The Red Bull driver expressed satisfaction with his team's performance turnaround.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull almost pulled off a surprise pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix, narrowly missing out to Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. After finishing a distant fifth in the final practice session, Verstappen found himself just four hundredths of a second behind Antonelli during qualifying. A pleased Verstappen reflected on the session, saying, "If you’d told me yesterday I’d be on the front row, I’d have taken it."
In final practice, Verstappen was nearly a second off the pace set by Antonelli. However, he emerged as the closest competitor to the young Italian in the crucial qualifying session. The top five spots were closely contested, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, Verstappen's teammate Isack Hadjar, and George Russell in the mix.
Speaking about the challenges faced, Verstappen noted, "We had some difficulties with the car in the morning, so being up there in qualifying was extremely positive." He was particularly pleased with his laps despite dealing with traffic and the notorious Monaco walls.
Addressing the 2026-spec cars, Verstappen remarked on their edginess and the unique power dynamics. "They’re more on edge than recent years, and the power, driveability, and shifts feel different," he explained. Yet, when everything aligns, he admitted the experience is highly rewarding.
Looking ahead to the race, Verstappen highlighted the importance of a good start, given Ferrari’s strong performances off the line this season. "These cars are quite complex to start," he noted, adding that with two well-starting cars behind him, the run to the first corner would be critical. Despite the challenges, Verstappen concluded, "This was a good day, and I definitely enjoyed qualifying."