Max Verstappen Faces Brutal Reality at Monza: “Like a Turtle” as Mercedes Outsprint Red Bull
Max Verstappen laid bare the harsh truth of his Italian Grand Prix struggle, confessing it was far from enjoyable being overtaken “like a turtle” at Monza.
Despite starting from the third row, Verstappen fought valiantly in his Red Bull RB22, leveraging the car’s exceptional braking prowess to mount aggressive attacks in the braking zones. However, the glaring deficit in straight-line speed against the Mercedes-powered cars ultimately dictated the race’s outcome.
Verstappen surged to the lead by lap 12, positioning himself ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, who had executed a remarkable recovery from the back of the grid after an engine penalty, relentlessly pressured Verstappen. Unable to fend off the Mercedes charge, Verstappen was demoted to third place as Antonelli claimed victory on home soil in a thrilling showdown.
When asked about his enjoyment behind the wheel amidst this challenging scenario, Verstappen did not mince words: “Not a lot when people just drive by you like you’re a turtle.” , he highlighted the RB22’s strength in braking, which allowed him to counterattack on the approach to corners two and four. “The car is good on the brakes, so that helps. Good confidence to attack the braking zones. Two times at the start, I managed to do that,” he explained. Yet, the frustration of lacking pace on the straights remained palpable. “It is enjoyable, but at the same time frustrating. I just try to maximise everything that I can.”
A critical factor compounding Red Bull’s woes was the overpowering effectiveness of Mercedes’ overtake mode electrical boost. Designed to be activated within a second of the car ahead, this system proved too potent for Verstappen to defend against once he assumed the race lead. “As soon as I got in the lead, it was very hard to defend,” Verstappen admitted. He elaborated on the challenge, “Even when we had the Virtual Safety Car, boxed for better tyres, and I was overtaking cars, once they can hang in that overtake mode, it’s just too powerful to actually defend, even on better tyres.”
Reflecting on the weekend, Verstappen acknowledged a solid turnaround after a difficult Zandvoort outing. “We managed to have a strong turnaround from Friday to Saturday, and the car was definitely in a better window,” he said. Yet he underscored the persistent issues still haunting Red Bull: “We still have a few bits and areas that we know need to be better, plus the obvious deployment on the straights.”
Verstappen’s candid admission exposes the stark reality facing Red Bull as they grapple with Mercedes’ deployment advantage at the Italian GP. While the RB22’s braking strengths provide fleeting moments of hope, the raw straight-line power deficit remains a critical hurdle on Monza’s high-speed layout.