F1 Monaco Grand Prix: Max Verstappen caught leaving early after Red Bull nightmare

Max and Jos Verstappen sat in a boat together smiling after Max's retirement from Monaco GP — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen caught leaving Monaco Grand Prix early after Red Bull nightmare

The Monaco Grand Prix was another day to forget for Red Bull and Max Verstappen

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 8 June 2026 08:40

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Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen left the Monaco Grand Prix early after retiring from the race just one lap in on Sunday.

Verstappen suffered a nightmare start to the event in the principality, dropping from second all the way down to last off the line as his Red Bull failed to get going.

The Dutchman was suffering with a lack of power from his Red Bull and slowly trundled around the circuit to complete the first lap, before being told to pull into the pits and retire the car.

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It was a 35th career DNF for the four-time champion, and his second this season after also having to retire from the Chinese GP.

And despite the Monaco GP throwing up plenty of action after his retirement - including a podium for his team-mate Isack Hadjar - Verstappen was not at the circuit to see it unfold.

F1 RESULTS: Monaco GP race times and positions

Verstappen heads home to nearby apartment

The Dutchman opted to instead go home, with he and many of his fellow F1 drivers boasting an apartment in the principality.

Many drivers choose to live in Monaco for tax reasons, and that includes Verstappen, who made full use of that by clocking off early from his job on Sunday.

Verstappen revealed his decision following his retirement from the race, telling media: "It's only 500 metres, I'm going home," with the Red Bull star later snapped aboard a yacht with his father and former F1 driver, Jos Verstappen.

Verstappen falls further behind in the championship

Verstappen's latest failure means he has scored just 43 points from the opening six race weekends of the season.

He will see this race in particular as a real missed opportunity, with Red Bull seemingly having a fast car this weekend evidenced by Verstappen qualifying up in second and Hadjar clinging onto a podium.

But we were denied a lap one battle between Verstappen and youngster Kimi Antonelli because of Verstappen's power problem, and the Dutchman lost yet more ground to the 19-year-old in the drivers' championship.

Verstappen is now 113 points behind championship leader Antonelli and, if they weren't already, his hopes of claiming a fifth world championship this year have been entirely dashed.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Monaco Grand Prix