Horner urges Verstappen to eliminate costly errors
Red Bull boss Christian Horner says driver Max Verstappen “needs to learn” from his mistakes after he cost himself a chance to fight for pole position with a crash in final practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Verstappen was top of the timesheets with just eight minutes of the session remaining when on a quick lap he collided with the barrier at Turn 15, damaging the right corner of his car.
Despite their best efforts, the Red Bull mechanics were not able to repair the Dutch driver’s car in time for qualifying. A problem with the gearbox was discovered resulting in a five-place grid penalty meaning Verstappen will start from the back of the grid for Sunday’s race.
The incident potentially cost the team a front row lock-out with team-mate Daniel Ricciardo clinching pole by over two-tenths from Sebastian Vettel, and Horner believes the time has come for Verstappen to evaluate his recent errors.
Asked if this latest incident would serve as a wake up call for Verstappen to change his style of driving, Horner told Channel 4: “I hope so. I don’t know what else will.
“We have a great car. He is a phenomenally fast driver and would have been competing for the pole position today.
“For the whole team with such a strong car to be only be running one legged with such a strong car is frustrating. But I have to complement all the guys in the garage, with both car crews doing their best to get him out in that session but unfortunately that wasn’t to be.”
With Red Bull proving to boast the quickest package this weekend, Horner reckons knowing he had a car underneath him able to win the grand prix will “hurt” Verstappen that much more.
“This place bites. He got bitten pretty hard today in a session that doesn’t really count for anything other than setting the car up,” he added.
“He is in a car that is capable of winning this grand prix and that will hurt him even more. You don’t get that many opportunities to win a Monaco GP.
“He needs to learn from it, and stop making these errors. He knows that more than anybody.