Max Verstappen admits that the Monaco Grand Prix is "one you want to win" and the challenge that it offers Formula 1 drivers is still "pretty insane" as he looks to claim a hat-trick of victories on the streets of the Principality this weekend.
The reigning World Champion heads to Monte Carlo off the back of victory last time out in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, which leaves Verstappen only 22 points behind Drivers' Championship leader Oscar Piastri.
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Unlike McLaren drivers Piastri and Lando Norris, Verstappen has previously enjoyed success in Monaco, winning the 2021 and 2023 editions, and the Red Bull driver believes that it remains the biggest challenge on the calendar.
"I think it’s just how difficult the track is to master in Qualifying," he said. "Knowing that overtaking is difficult on Sunday, you know Qualifying is more important. It’s challenging, bumpy, there’s the history… it’s one you want to win. It’s pretty insane, to be honest."
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Despite still being a strong title contender after seven Grands Prix, the in-form team during the 2025 campaign has been McLaren with Piastri and Norris claiming five victories between themselves.
The papaya cars dominated in Miami at the start of the month, before Verstappen was able to claim only his second win of the season at Imola after a sensational opening-lap overtake on Piastri paved his way to victory after showing strong race pace.
But ahead of Monaco, with its low tyre degradation and slow speeds compared with Imola, Verstappen has "no idea" where Red Bull will stand in the pecking order this weekend.
"If you take the average of Miami and Imola, I don’t think we look that great," he said.
"I know this is a very different track. We’ve only been properly competitive on high-speed tracks so far this season. Monaco isn’t a high-speed track… I’m a little bit more reserved. I have no idea where we are."
Despite generally lacking race pace against the McLarens, Verstappen has shown strong form in Qualifying this term, taking three poles which puts him equal with Piastri.
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But it has often been in stark contrast to Red Bull's performances on Friday, something Verstappen was at a loss to explain during media interviews on Thursday.
"I wish I knew! We don’t do it on purpose, I swear," he said. "We learned a lot in Imola. It was a very useful lesson. It definitely gave me more confidence to push. We do a lot of simulator work.
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"Unfortunately, I think our car for the last one-and-a-half, two years, has been in a very narrow window. That sometimes translates to a poor Friday, but the team are good at analysing things and making the right calls for the next day. Most times we improved the situation."
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