Max Verstappen has admitted that Red Bull are heading into the Monaco Grand Prix with more questions than answers, warning that the team still faces several unresolved weaknesses despite encouraging signs of progress in recent races.

While the reigning world champion remains hopeful that Red Bull can challenge near the front on the famous streets of Monte Carlo, he acknowledged that predicting the performance of the RB22 remains extremely difficult at this stage of the weekend.

“I don’t know how the car is going to feel tomorrow,” Verstappen confessed when discussing Red Bull’s prospects.

The comment reflected both caution and realism from a driver who has spent much of the season battling an unpredictable package that has often shown flashes of speed while simultaneously exposing frustrating limitations.

Red Bull arrive in Monaco carrying renewed confidence after an encouraging weekend in Canada.

In Montreal, Verstappen secured his first podium finish of the campaign after taking advantage of difficulties encountered by rivals from McLaren and Mercedes. The Dutchman crossed the line in third place behind race winner Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton, producing one of the team’s strongest performances of the year.

The result offered evidence that Red Bull may finally be closing the gap to the leading teams.

However, inside the garage, there is no illusion that the problems have been solved.

Engineers reportedly spent much of the Canadian weekend searching for answers as the RB22 continued to suffer from bouncing issues, inconsistent balance and a lack of confidence over bumps and kerbs.

Although the team eventually found improvements through setup changes, the process highlighted how narrow the operating window remains.

Verstappen acknowledged that while Canada delivered valuable progress, Monaco presents an entirely different challenge.

Unlike traditional circuits, the Principality rewards precision, confidence and mechanical grip far more than outright power.

That unique combination makes Monaco notoriously difficult to predict.

“Monaco can always surprise you,” Verstappen explained.

Those surprises can be positive or negative.

A car that struggles elsewhere may suddenly come alive around the tight streets of Monte Carlo, while a dominant package can unexpectedly lose competitiveness if it fails to handle the circuit’s unique demands.

For Red Bull, that uncertainty creates both hope and concern.

On one hand, the absence of long straights could help disguise some of the team’s performance deficits. On the other, Monaco’s aggressive kerbs, uneven surfaces and constant changes in elevation expose exactly the kind of weaknesses that have troubled the RB22 throughout the season.

Verstappen openly admitted that this area remains a concern.

According to the Dutchman, Red Bull have generally been competitive in low-speed corners, which should theoretically play to their advantage around Monaco.

The problem is that low-speed performance alone is not enough.

Drivers must also attack kerbs with confidence and maintain stability over bumps while operating millimetres away from barriers.

That is precisely where Red Bull has struggled.

“The bumps and kerbs are still not our strongest area,” Verstappen noted.

For a circuit where confidence is everything, even minor instability can have major consequences.

Monaco offers virtually no margin for error.

Unlike modern circuits featuring large runoff areas, mistakes here are usually punished immediately.

One lock-up, one missed apex or one moment of oversteer can send a car directly into the barriers.

As a result, drivers spend the practice sessions gradually building trust in their machinery before pushing to the absolute limit in qualifying.

For Verstappen, establishing that trust remains one of the weekend’s biggest priorities.

Sources within Red Bull suggest that engineers have arrived in Monaco with a series of revised setup options specifically designed to improve ride quality and increase stability over rough surfaces.

The team has reportedly analyzed extensive data from previous races in an effort to better understand why the RB22 remains vulnerable in these conditions.

Yet Verstappen remains realistic about the scale of the challenge.

Asked where Red Bull still needs to improve, his answer was straightforward.

Everywhere.

“You want more grip. You want more power. You want better braking. You want the tyres to work better,” he explained.

The response underlined the complexity of Formula One development.

While fans often focus on one specific weakness, drivers and engineers are constantly searching for gains across dozens of different performance areas simultaneously.

In Red Bull’s case, several deficiencies remain interconnected.

Improving ride quality could enhance tyre performance.

Better tyre performance could improve cornering speed.

Greater cornering speed could reduce pressure on braking zones.

Every improvement has the potential to unlock benefits elsewhere.

Despite the optimism generated by Canada, Verstappen believes the team is still behind where it wants to be.

Looking back on the Montreal weekend, he highlighted shortcomings not only on the straights but also through corners.

While Red Bull managed to maximize the package available, the underlying performance gap was still visible.

“We’re lacking on the straights and in the corners,” Verstappen admitted.

That assessment illustrates just how competitive Formula One has become.

Even podium finishes no longer guarantee satisfaction when championship ambitions remain the ultimate objective.

One particular concern has been the car’s behavior over rough surfaces.

Throughout the season, Verstappen has repeatedly mentioned difficulties with ride quality, a problem that affects both performance and confidence.

The issue becomes especially significant at circuits like Monaco, where surface imperfections can dramatically influence lap times.

Fortunately for Red Bull, one potential advantage lies in the circuit’s layout.

Unlike venues such as Suzuka, Silverstone or Barcelona, Monaco contains virtually no high-speed corners.

Historically, high-speed sections have exposed some of Red Bull’s most significant weaknesses this season.

The absence of those corners could help reduce the impact of certain performance deficits.

Nevertheless, Verstappen remains cautious.

Formula One history is filled with examples of teams arriving at Monaco expecting success only to discover unexpected problems once practice begins.

Track evolution, weather conditions and tyre behavior can all dramatically influence competitiveness.

As a result, Verstappen is refusing to make bold predictions.

Instead, he wants to see how the car behaves once it hits the circuit.

Beyond the technical challenges, the Monaco weekend also arrives during a period of transition for Red Bull.

The organization underwent significant internal restructuring over the past year, including major leadership changes and adjustments to the team’s management structure.

One of the most notable developments was the appointment of Laurent Mekies as Team Principal following last season’s reshuffle.

The move attracted widespread attention throughout the paddock and raised questions about how Red Bull’s internal culture might evolve.

According to Verstappen, the transition has been remarkably smooth.

“The feeling is good in the team,” he said.

The Dutchman emphasized that everyone remains united behind the same objectives and that communication throughout the organization has remained strong.

Team members reportedly continue to work closely together despite the challenges posed by the increasingly competitive championship battle.

Insiders suggest morale has improved considerably in recent months as performance trends have begun moving in a positive direction.

Although Red Bull may no longer enjoy the overwhelming dominance that defined previous seasons, confidence remains high that the team possesses the talent and resources necessary to fight back.

Verstappen himself appears encouraged by the direction of travel.

While he has been honest about the car’s weaknesses, he has also repeatedly praised the effort being made behind the scenes.

Engineers, strategists and mechanics continue to push relentlessly in pursuit of solutions.

That collective determination could prove crucial as the season enters a decisive phase.

For now, however, Monaco remains a step into the unknown.

The narrow streets of Monte Carlo have a habit of rewriting expectations and producing unexpected outcomes.

Past success offers no guarantees.

Neither does recent form.

As Verstappen prepares to tackle one of Formula One’s most demanding circuits, he knows that confidence, adaptability and patience will be just as important as raw speed.

The objective is simple: learn quickly, improve steadily and maximize every opportunity.

Whether that will be enough to challenge Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren remains to be seen.

But if there is one lesson Verstappen has learned throughout his championship-winning career, it is that Monaco rarely follows the script.

And this weekend, he expects more surprises to come.