Max Verstappen: Mercedes quicker than Red Bull in every corner

Max Verstappen

Verstappen: Mercedes quicker than Red Bull in every corner

Not good news for fans of competitive racing!

Matthew Scott

Thursday 16 May 2019 17:18

Max Verstappen says Mercedes' W10 is currently faster than Red Bull's RB15 in every type of corner. The Silver Arrows have taken one-two finishes in each of the first five races of the season – a Formula 1 record – with a renewed focus on aero key.

Mercedes' dominance of F1 in recent years has been founded largely on engine power, but Ferrari have out-developed the constructors' champions in this regard recently.

However, the Silver Arrows have instead focused energies in gaining speed through corners, which was in evidence in the Spanish grand Prix last week as they wiped the floor with Ferrari, while Verstappen was a distant third for a Red Bull side still fighting to get back int the picture at the front.

"I think at the moment, we're not really better in any corner than Mercedes," said Verstappen.

"[Our car is] good! It's not that it's a bad car – but at the moment, Mercedes is just a bit quicker than us everywhere.

"Medium-speed, high-speed is pretty similar I would say.

"But again, that depends on downforce levels you're running every single weekend so it's a bit difficult to say.

"But clearly, they were very strong in the low-speed corners and that is normally pretty good for Monaco as well."

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Verstappen saw a chance to win in Monaco slip by last year as a crash in FP3 denied him the chance to qualify and consigned him to a 20th-place start, which he could only convert to ninth come race day as team-mate Daniel Ricciardo took the victory.

Although Red Bull have been strong around Monte Carlo in recent seasons, Verstappen fears it won't be replicated this year.

"For Monaco, I think at the moment, looking at the low-speed performance in the last sector [in Barcelona], we are clearly not the favourite," said Verstappen.

"I don't expect it to be like last year when we were super-strong in Monaco."