Red Bull Racing are looking to build at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend

Max Verstappen hopes his podium finish at the Canadian Grand Prix last time out will stand Red Bull Racing in good stead heading into this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

The team from Tilbrook have made steady progress in 2026 with the new sporting regulations, often finding themselves behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren in the opening rounds.

But after strategic errors from the world champions McLaren in Montreal, and an engine failure for race leader George Russell’s Mercedes, Verstappen was able to fight for second before succumbing to Lewis Hamillton in the latter stages to come home third.

This weekend, the drivers will take on one of the toughest challenges in the sport – the tight streets of Monte Carlo for the infamous Monaco Grand Prix.

Twice a winner around the streets, with his last triumph in 2023, Verstappen hopes the steps forward shown in the RB22 since the Miami Grand Prix last month will put the team into contention to fight at the sharp end of the race again.

He said: “We made some positive steps forward in Miami and the pace is a lot closer to where we need to be. I felt like we were able to extract a better performance from the car and I felt more comfortable.

“However, we will keep pushing as there are always things we can improve and work on, which is how we operate as a team.

“Monaco is always reliant on good strategy and, as always here, it will be key to get the best result in qualifying.”

He continued: “It has been nice to have a bit of time to reset before the double header and good to be close to home and be able to see family especially when it is a hectic weekend on and off track.”

Frenchman Isack Hadjar continued to build his reputation in the race last season, bringing his Racing Bulls home in sixth place, impressing in his rookie year.

He followed in Verstappen’s wheel-tracks last time out in Canada with his best result of the season, coming home fifth despite twice serving ten-second penalties in the pits which would have seen him finish fourth otherwise.

Free practice for the Monaco Grand Prix gets underway on Friday.