No celebration expected for Verstappen, but Lily will have a first-time experience

When Verstappen took a seat on the top floor of the—this time—floating Red Bull Power Station for a session with the Dutch press, a DJ further along on the roof turned the music up a notch. It’s Monaco; it’s party time at Red Bull Racing. One guest after another is welcomed to what is the highlight of the Formula 1 season for sponsors.

Chances are, the Monaco Grand Prix won’t be a party for Verstappen. With the thumping in the background, he explains that he’s not expecting miracles through the streets of Monte Carlo. A victory? A lot would have to happen, Verstappen believes. His RB22—though improved—is still nowhere near a match for Mercedes, McLaren, or Ferrari—the latter of which the Dutchman sees as a big favourite for the weekend.

The fact that overtaking is nearly impossible on the Monaco circuit won’t help Verstappen either, so on Saturday—during that one decisive lap for him in Q3—everything has to fall into place. Then it’s a matter of seeing where that gets him. And perhaps Verstappen can make the difference with his exceptional qualities, as he has before, he says. “But I don’t know if that’s going to be the case. It’s fine-tuning until qualifying, but we always have things to solve.”

When Verstappen is told that this is the most beautiful event of the year—as Red Bull around him certainly projects—the Dutchman shakes his head. “No. For me, this is just an event where there are 25 points to be won. Especially if you’ve already won it. I think the very first time it happens, you do see it as something very special. I now see it as a race on the calendar.”

Still, there’s a fun bonus: Verstappen practically passes his apartment during his lap, where his girlfriend Kelly and daughter Lily can watch from the balcony. “Hopefully I won’t just park it in the wall there,” Verstappen laughs. “The only upside: then I’ll be home in no time!”