Max Verstappen concerned by Mercedes' top-speed advantage at hoodoo track Monza

Max Verstappen

Verstappen concerned by Mercedes' top-speed advantage at hoodoo track Monza

Mercedes has a strong record in the Italian Grand Prix

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 8 September 2021 09:29

Max Verstappen believes Mercedes' top speed at Monza could give Lewis Hamilton the edge throughout this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Mercedes has a strong record at the circuit, winning the first five races of the current turbo-hybrid era and then finishing two-three in 2019 at a time when Ferrari's power unit was dominant before doubts were cast later that season.

Last year, an array of incidents and a penalty for Hamilton denied the seven-time champion another victory.

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In contrast, Verstappen has never finished higher than fifth as the circuit has proven to be a bogey one for the Red Bul driver, who goes into Sunday's race with a three-point advantage over Hamilton.

Despite dominating his home grand prix at Zandvoort at the weekend, Verstappen said: "I expect Monza to suit Mercedes as it hasn’t been our best track for the last few years but this year we are more competitive so you never know.

"If we continue what we have been doing, working well together as a team, and nail every little detail then we can be competitive but Mercedes might have a top-speed advantage on us."

Verstappen tells Red Bull to 'fine tune' details

Red Bull has failed to even finish on the podium since the current engines were introduced in 2014 such have been their struggles at Monza.

Verstappen is hoping for at least another perfect weekend, as in Zandvoort, to at least make up some of the difference between Red Bull and Mercedes.

"I don’t think either us or Mercedes have a big advantage over the other," added Verstappen.

"At Zandvoort, you could see in qualifying and the race that both of our cars are super close, and Lewis was applying pressure for the entire race.

"That meant we couldn’t afford to make any mistakes on the track, in the pit lane or on the pit wall, and we didn’t.

"I think it’s the finer details where you can make a difference. When you enter a race weekend you have to work hard as a team on the set-up and fine-tuning the little details. That’s where the gains can be made."