F1 News: Verstappen says he would beat all other drivers in RB20

Max Verstappen has defended his performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, claiming nobody in the paddock would have been able to drive the Red Bull RB20 “faster than me.”

–by Mark Cipolloni–

A fourth title had looked inevitable after Verstappen started the F1 2024 season by winning four of the first five races – including three one-two finishes for Red Bull – to establish a clear lead in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings.

However, with McLaren and Ferrari improving quickly, Red Bull have looked increasingly vulnerable over recent weeks with Verstappen winning at Imola but losing out to Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc in Miami and Monaco respectively.

Verstappen could only manage sixth on the grid in Monaco as teammate Sergio Perez failed to reach Q3 for the second race in succession, and only was 18th fastest.

Speaking to the media after qualifying, Verstappen admitted Red Bull got “found out” in Monaco for not addressing a weakness of the car which had been present since the first year of F1’s ground effect rules in 2022.

The Dutchman went to liken the RB20 to a go-kart around the principality, claiming the car was “jumping around a lot” and “not absorbing any curb strikes or bumps or camber changes.”

And Verstappen believes no other driver would have salvaged a sixth-place finish in Monaco with his car.

Asked if he made his first mistakes of F1 2024 in Monaco, he replied: “I would say no. And I would be happy to invite anyone in the paddock to drive this car faster than me.”

He told Dutch publication De Telegraaf: “For sure there will be other tracks where Red Bull will do well again, but I am very curious [to see] how they will solve these problems.”

The author added, “They will have to do something about it, understand where certain difficulties come from. Meanwhile, it is clear that McLaren and Ferrari are getting closer and closer.

“Max has been good at hiding some of the problems, but you can see how big the difference is between him and his teammate.

“It seems to me that Red Bull’s period of dominance has come to an end and Max is carrying the car.”