Verstappen would like FIA to take action: 'It happened a few times already'
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A strong qualifying session is crucial for a successful race in Monaco, but notching the ultimate lap time is not without risk on the narrow street circuit. This leaves the chance of a late red flag, forcing F1 drivers to abort their lap. Max Verstappen would like to see a solution to that scenario, but at the same time realises that the issue is not high on the FIA's priority list.
Putting down a 'banker lap' - a fast but safe lap - is especially important in Monaco because of the very limited overtaking opportunities. A late red flag, which occured last year when Sergio Perez crashed his Red Bull into the wall, can happen just like that.
Verstappen: 'Red flag is usually not caused on purpose'
"I just need to do a good lap in the first run I guess. It happens. Most of the time, it's not on purpose," Verstappen said in a Red Bull Racing press briefing in Monaco. "But it happens in Monaco, it happens on other street circuits. But I just have to deal with it."
For now, however, no measures seem to be taken to prevent drivers from losing their last fast lap as a result. "At the moment, nothing has been agreed or said. But it has happened now a few times already. That there was a red flag in the second run. I just need to make sure the first run is good," the reigning world champion noted.
Verstappen finds it especially painful that everyone has to abort their lap the moment a red flag is triggered. "In other categories, you've seen that when people cause a red flag. They lose all their laps in that qualifying. It's maybe something to think about. But it doesn't seem like the FIA at the moment it's really thinking about that. So we'll see. Like I said we just need to do a good lap ourselves."