F1 champion Max Verstappen warns he WILL lose drivers’ title in 2024

Max Verstappen

Verstappen warns he WILL lose drivers’ title in 2024

Red Bull star slams team for turning car 'into a monster'

Harry Whitfield

Tuesday 3 September 2024 18:57

Max Verstappen has blamed Red Bull for turning his car 'into a monster' as he admitted that his championship is under threat.

Once again, Red Bull lacked the pace to be competitive at the front of the grid as championship leader Verstappen finished P6, more than 37 seconds off the eventual winner of the Italian GP, Charles Leclerc.

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At Zandvoort, the Dutchman managed a podium finish of P2 but was still more than 22 seconds off Lando Norris.

The 26-year-old's lead in the drivers' standings has been cut down once again, as he holds a 62-point lead with just eight races left.

Red Bull are only eight points ahead of McLaren in the constructors' championship

Max Verstappen's last victory came back in June at the Spanish GP

Verstappen at risk of losing championship as he criticises Red Bull

With plenty of points still up for grabs, Verstappen will be looking over his shoulder, hoping Norris and McLaren cannot overturn his lead in the standings.

Speaking to the media after the race in Monza, Verstappen expressed: "If we continue like this, we will lose both championships.

"We have to work hard and change a lot of things in the car, because if not, we will lose everything.

"Last year we had a great car, the most dominant in history, and we basically turned it into a monster.

“We basically went from a very dominant car to a car that was impossible to drive in the space of, what, six to eight months.

"I can motivate the team, that's clear. But what I can't do is design the car.

Reflecting on his performance over the weekend, he added: "Overall, it has been a difficult weekend in Monza, both in qualifying and in the race. And in terms of position today we got the most out of it.

“That's racing. Now, what we have to do is work hard to try to return to the place we want; so these two weeks before Baku we have to focus on turning things around and solving the problems that we have identified during the past weekends.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Charles Leclerc Vettel Italian GP