Verstappen: “We still have work to do” on 5th championship hunt

18:36, 18 May

Updated: 22:40, 18 May

bySienna Ionta

Max Verstappen secured a commanding victory at Imola today, defying expectations that seemed to favour McLaren after their dominant form all weekend. Despite McLaren’s strong pace in practice and qualifying, Verstappen delivered when it mattered most.

Verstappen’s skill and strategic upgrades to the Red Bull car proved decisive on race day, allowing him to take control early and maintain his lead.

Red Bull shines on high-speed tracks

Reflecting on the race and the championship battle ahead, Verstappen emphasised that performance is still very track specific, “I think it’s very track specific. Every time that we have been really competitive, it’s been high-speed tracks, high-speed corners,” he explained.

He also admitted there’s still work to be done to consistently challenge McLaren.

“We still have work to do, but I do think it’s been a very positive weekend for us. Of course, we brought upgrades—I think they worked.”

Verstappen noted that Friday’s difficult sessions gave way to a better setup on Saturday, which helped put the car in a more competitive window.

Looking ahead to the next races, he said Monaco won’t be an easy track for Red Bull with the current car, but he remains hopeful for Barcelona, where high-speed corners should play to their strengths.

“I’m very happy with this week, and then we just go from there.”