Verstappen: "Without grid penalty we would have participated at the front"

Max Verstappen experienced a painful start to life with his new-spec Honda engine. He was always due to start at the back of the grid in Italy because of the engine change itself but he made matters worse by losing his front wing in the opening corner.

The Dutch Red Bull driver thinks that without grid penalty the team would have been able to join Monza for the biggest trophy fight.

"I think we could have fought with the guys at the front. I was able to follow them on the screens and I also knew what their lap times were. I didn't lose much on that," said Verstappen.

All in all, Verstappen really enjoyed the performance of the newest Honda specification. Despite a minor problem, in which he "lost four or five seconds", it was "fine." A problem similar to that on Saturday, when safe mode came on.

Although he lost a lot of time in traffic, "in the open air they were not much faster," said Verstappen. According to him, that is for the time being a 'promising' signal, since 'Monza is not a circuit where Red Bull is normally so competitive', the Dutchman concluded.

Daniil Kvyat's Honda engine experienced an oil leak which forced him to retire from the race.