In-form Red Bull driver returns to scene of past costly crashes aiming to change his Monaco record; Watch Monaco GP this weekend on Sky Sports F1
Monday 20 May 2019 20:12, UK
Max Verstappen heads into this weekend's Monaco GP as one of Formula 1's most in-form drivers but with demons to banish at the sport's showpiece race.
The Dutchman has crashed into the barriers on three of his four F1 visits to the Principality - including in final practice last year in an accident which ruled him out of qualifying and left him at the back of the grid.
"It's a street circuit with a lot of history and it's not been the best one for me over the last few years, but hopefully it's time to turn this around," said Verstappen, currently on a run of 10 successive top-four finishes.
The Monaco GP weekend is exclusively live on Sky Sports F1. Sunday's race begins at 2.10pm with build-up from 12.30pm.
Verstappen's best Monaco result is a fifth place from 2017, making it his joint-worst circuit on the current calendar alongside Monza and Russia. In the same period, former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo twice claimed pole and won last year.
However, Sky F1's Jenson Button believes Verstappen can be an altogether different proposition in 2019.
"If Max gets Saturday right and doesn't shunt in qualifying we all know how quick he is, and especially around street circuits," said Button, the 2009 Monaco winner.
"So they [Red Bull] will be there fighting with them."
Can Red Bull challenge Mercedes?
Red Bull chief Christian Horner has consistently described Monaco 2018 as a turning point for Verstappen.
After accidents or incidents in the opening six rounds of last year, the Dutchman has finished in the top five in 18 of the following 20 races leading into this weekend.
World champions Mercedes have dominated the start of F1 2019, but Horner is hopeful last year's victors can again make an impact at the famous street race.
"Mercedes looked pretty mighty particularly in the last sector [at Barcelona], but we've always run well [in Monaco] and Max is due a bit of redemption there," Horner told Sky F1.
"So hopefully we can give them a hard time."
Sky Sports F1 is the home of live and exclusive F1 - and new and existing customers in the UK can now get the channel for just £10 extra a month. Find out more here to watch the 2019 season live
