– Before the Monaco Grand Prix, Max Verstappen clearly commits to the race in the Principality. Despite ongoing criticism, the four-time world champion emphasizes: “That’s how it’s always been.”
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“But until 15 years ago, there was no social media,” explains the Red Bull driver in the official press conference on Thursday. “Now everyone with a mobile phone or laptop can complain online, whereas before you could only complain at home or to your family. Nowadays, people write more about it, whereas before they complained at home.”
When asked if Verstappen is looking forward to driving the new cars on the street circuit and if it could be their best performance yet, the 28-year-old replies:
“Maybe. I think it will probably be a bit better due to the [narrower wheels], and at low speeds, they are a bit more agile. But at the same time, driveability comes into play here. And I find that this has taken a step for the worse compared to last year’s cars.”
The Red Bull driver answers the question of whether Verstappen is looking forward to Saturday’s qualifying session as follows: “It’s still a highlight of the weekend, especially when you really have to deliver. We will, of course, try to do our best.”
In the press conference, Verstappen also emphasizes that he has another, much more personal connection to Monaco: “Monaco is my home,” he explains.
“That overshadows everything about the race itself. I love living here. It’s really safe, the people are friendly, and it’s good for children. The Grand Prix is honestly just a bonus.”
“Of course, it’s always a crazy weekend, and I enjoy it. A bit hectic, but at the same time really great. My first memory here? I hit my head against a guardrail. Probably not a very nice memory, but it’s really cool to race here.”
“I drove here for the first time in Formula 1,” Verstappen recounts. “That was a huge step right away.”
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Esteban Ocon and Alexander Albon look at the Monaco race weekend similarly. Ocon, for example, explains: “I watched a video of Lewis watching the first Monaco Grand Prix. It’s almost the same layout, along with the city’s changes. We know how it works here; it’s always been like this.”
“Overtaking has never been easy here,” Ocon continues. “And if someone overtakes here, he’s a god. If he crashes, it’s a disaster, but at least he tried.”
“You approach the weekend completely differently. You really have to give 100 percent. You always have to, but [here] it’s even more important.”
In summary, Ocon emphasizes: “That’s the beauty of Monaco, period. That’s the beauty of Formula 1. It’s a different compromise than usual.”
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Albon agrees with his colleague and adds: “As long as people accept it for what it is, not every race has to revolve solely around Sunday.”
“The way the weekends build up towards Saturday and qualifying is quite beautiful. Hopefully, some things could be changed in the future to make overtaking on the circuit easier.”
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“But like in any sport, whether it’s tennis tournaments with different conditions or whatever, there will always be an event that stands out as very special. And I believe, at least I believe that as a driver, we see exactly that on Saturday. That’s what makes Monaco so special.”
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