Verstappen cites deployment and top speed issues as Red Bull lags behind Mercedes in Monza

Summary

Max Verstappen finished on the podium at Monza after starting fifth, demonstrating resilience and racecraft. He attributed his performance to difficulties with deployment, which he identified as a key weakness for Red Bull in this race. This insight suggests that Red Bull may need to address deployment issues to maximize their performance in future races. The outcome is significant for the championship standings, as Verstappen's ability to recover from a mid-grid start underscores his competitiveness this season.

The Full Story

Max Verstappen secured a podium finish at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, but the Red Bull driver acknowledged significant struggles with his car’s deployment and top speed that prevented him from challenging Mercedes for victory. Starting fifth on the grid, Verstappen briefly took the lead early in the race after overtaking Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, and George Russell. However, Russell quickly reclaimed position, and both Mercedes drivers soon pulled away from the Red Bull.

The eventual winner, Kimi Antonelli, who started at the back of the grid, rapidly caught up to the battle between Russell and Verstappen before the Silver Arrows extended their lead. Verstappen pitted during a virtual safety car period triggered by Lance Stroll’s retirement, switching to hard tyres and climbing back to finish third. Despite his efforts, Verstappen crossed the line more than 10 seconds behind Russell’s second place but maintained a comfortable gap over Lando Norris in fourth.

Verstappen revealed the core issue behind his inability to close the gap to Mercedes was a lack of effective power deployment, especially through the crucial turns two to four. “I had to send it many times around the outside because we were just struggling a lot with deployment from turns two to four compared to our competitors,” he said. He also confirmed that top speed was a limiting factor for the RB22 at Monza, a track where outright velocity is critical. “In general top speed wasn’t our friend today so just tried to hang in there but they were just a bit too fast,” Verstappen added.

The four-time world champion described his race as a constant battle to stay in overtaking mode but admitted that at times he had to settle for managing his own race pace. “That’s why I was trying to be in that overtake mode but at one point I lost that and tried to just do my own race. Happy with P3 and to be on the podium here,” he said. While not a win, the result marked Verstappen’s closest finish to Mercedes so far in the 2026 season.

Red Bull’s deployment and speed issues at Monza highlight ongoing challenges for the team on high-speed circuits, where Mercedes currently hold an advantage. Verstappen’s performance nevertheless demonstrated resilience and racecraft, managing to recover from a fifth-place start to secure valuable championship points. With upcoming races in Singapore and the United States, Red Bull will be keen to address these weaknesses and close the gap to their rivals.