Max Verstappen rules out victory in Canada and acknowledges that Mercedes will be his biggest threat for a podium finish this weekend.
After dominating the last three editions of the Canadian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has surprised many by admitting that this time Red Bull is not arriving with victory ambitions. The Dutchman was candid during the press conference ahead of the race weekend: “It’s a bit different this time. If we can fight for the podium with Ferrari or Mercedes, that would already be a good achievement,” he told Motorsport.
The reason lies in the characteristics of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a track that doesn’t suit the RB21 due to its emphasis on slow corners, kerbs, and uneven surfaces. “We know our weaknesses are there. The low-speed sections, the bumps, the kerbs… they’re not ideal for us,” Verstappen explained.
He also acknowledged that McLaren is currently on another level: “They’re quicker. I’m not even thinking about racing them.” Rather than looking ahead, Verstappen is focused on fending off teams like Mercedes, who historically perform well in Canada: “Last year they were very strong here, and now they might be even more competitive.”
Despite everything, the Red Bull driver sees some progress in the car compared to 2024: “We’ve improved drivability; we no longer have major balance issues. But we still need to find more overall performance if we want to fight at the front.”
Free practice begins today, Friday 13 June, and all signs point to the triple world champion needing to extract every bit of his talent if he wants to stay in the top three. Meanwhile, the title fight is tightening, and all eyes are on how Red Bull will respond to their first major challenge of the season.
-380x380.webp)
-380x380.webp)
