MONACO — Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen is rarely one to shower rivals with compliments, but even the reigning world champion couldn’t hold back his astonishment after witnessing Ferrari’s blistering speed around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo.
Speaking after a difficult Friday practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix, Verstappen admitted Red Bull had been caught off-guard by the impressive pace of the Ferraris — particularly that of Charles Leclerc, who topped both sessions with a commanding display.
“They’re very, very fast,” Verstappen said, visibly frustrated. “Honestly, it’s a bit shocking how much pace they’ve found. Especially here, where we’ve normally been strong, they just look incredibly hooked up.”
Ferrari’s upgrades appear to have paid off at the most technical track on the calendar. Leclerc, a Monaco native still chasing a win on home soil, looked supremely confident as he threaded his SF-24 through the tight corners of the principality with pinpoint precision. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, wasn’t far behind, rounding out what could be a dream weekend for the Scuderia if the trend continues.
Verstappen, by contrast, struggled to find grip and balance in his RB20, complaining over the team radio about the car’s lack of stability through the low-speed corners — a known Achilles’ heel of Red Bull’s 2025 challenger.
“It’s just sliding everywhere,” he told engineers. “The rear is all over the place.”
The Dutchman’s tone after practice was one of resignation mixed with determination. While Red Bull has often pulled a rabbit out of the hat when it matters most — particularly in qualifying — Verstappen made it clear the team would need to dig deep overnight to find the performance needed to challenge Ferrari.
“It’s not over, but we have work to do,” he added. “If they keep this up, we might be fighting for scraps instead of the win.”
Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseur remained characteristically measured despite the team’s strong showing, emphasizing that practice isn’t always an accurate reflection of race pace.
“We’re happy with the performance today, but this is Monaco,” Vasseur said. “Things can change very quickly. We’ll keep our heads down and stay focused on qualifying — that’s where it really counts here.”
With qualifying often deciding the outcome in Monaco due to the near-impossibility of overtaking, Saturday’s session is shaping up to be one of the most critical of the season. Verstappen will need something spectacular to stop Leclerc from claiming pole position and, potentially, his long-awaited home victory.
For now, though, the man who has dominated Formula 1 in recent years finds himself playing catch-up — and for once, he’s openly impressed by the competition.
“Ferrari’s not just fast,” Verstappen admitted with a wry smile. “They’re flying.”