All eyes will be focused on the session on Saturday in Monte Carlo

Qualifying will be key ahead of Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, and Max Verstappen hopes to land pole position on the streets of the Principality.

With overtakes nearly impossible at Monte Carlo, Saturday’s qualifying session to decide Sunday’s grid will be where the main focus for the drivers will be. Last year, Charles Leclerc won his home race from pole position - the sixth time in seven years that Saturday’s fastest driver would go on to win.

In the second race of another triple header, Verstappen hopes he can continue the form he showed last weekend in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to claim victory on the streets of Monaco for a third time, and for Red Bull Racing’s eighth.

“Monaco will be a bit tougher, with it being a street circuit,” he said. “It hasn’t been our strongest track in the past, but we did make a step forward with the set up and we will try and do the best that we can.

“Qualifying is key here and we are reliant on strategy so it will be about getting a good result on Saturday and extracting the best possible performance of the car. It will also be nice to be close to home for this race, especially when it is such a hectic and busy weekend.”

Yuki Tsunoda put in a stellar performance on race day last weekend after his qualifying crash at Imola saw him start from the pitlane | AFP via Getty Images

placeholder image — Yuki Tsunoda put in a stellar performance on race day last weekend after his qualifying crash at Imola saw him start from the pitlane | AFP via Getty Images

For Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, the race in Monaco gives him another change to get accustomed to the RB21 since his promotion to the side earlier this season.

Since take over from Liam Lawson after just two races in 2025, Tsunoda’s highest finish has been ninth, and after his crash in qualifying at Imola last weekend, he wants a trouble-free outing in Monaco.

He said: “Some of last weekend made it one to forget in Imola, but there was also positives to take and those have given me a boost coming into Monaco. I made a silly mistake in Qualifying, so I need to learn patience and know the results will come to me.

In Monaco I want to be moving through the field a lot higher up. That’s the aim for this weekend and to maintain the focus this track and the RB21 requires to be successful.

“Monaco is a crazy week, Red Bull show up in a way no other team does in Monte Carlo and I want to make the impact I know we can on track.”