Sawt Falasteen - Verstappen heads 'home' to face McLaren challenge

Boosted by the updates package that brought him his 65th victory for Red Bull, at Imola last Sunday, Verstappen confirmed he is a contender for a fifth title this year despite McLaren’s early-season domination.

He won with ease at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari to move within 22 points of championship leader Oscar Piastri and just nine away from Lando Norris in the other McLaren. He will now be hoping for more of the same at F1’s most fabled and glamorous event.

But the two-time winner of the Mediterranean principality’s often-processional harbourside street race knows that rule changes and the unique challenge of Monte Carlo, where he has a penthouse apartment a tone's throw from many of the other drivers, offer something unique to any other circuit.

The introduction of a mandatory two-stop strategy for both wet and dry conditions by ruling body, the FIA, and the confines of the unforgiving, narrow and twisting barrier-lined streets may encourage record 15-times winners McLaren to bounce back for a sixth win in eight races.

The champion team, with a fast, nimble car that has appeared to be dominant on circuits featuring slow corners, have not won at Monaco since 2008 when seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, now at Ferrari, was en route to his first title.

- 'Slow corners' -

Red Bull’s influential team advisor Helmut Marko acknowledged their threat to his team’s hopes of claiming a fourth Monaco win in five years.

"Things could look very different (at Monaco)," he said.

"The car is doing what Max wants again, due to the updates, which have worked, but that was at Imola. Monaco is completely different with only slow corners and it could be much worse."

Verstappen, too, admitted: "Last year, it was very difficult for us. I don’t expect it to be a lot easier this time around."

The 27-year-old Dutchman finished sixth last year when Charles Leclerc became the first Monegasque driver to win his home race in the modern era, a feat unlikely to be repeated due to Ferrari’s qualifying struggles this year.

For the same reason, Hamilton is not expected to claim a fourth win in Sunday’s race, the second in a triple-header of three Grands Prix on consecutive weekends.

All this suggests that Piastri, the most consistent driver of the season to date, has an opportunity to secure a first Monaco triumph with a fifth win of the year, if he can resist team-mate Norris in what may be a close qualifying duel.

Norris has also never won at Monaco and has claimed only one podium, suggesting he needs to find a leap in qualifying pace to improve his prospects.

"It’s a circuit I enjoy," said Piastri, in his measured Melburnian tone.

"Last year, it was a really good weekend for me, so I am hoping to go one better. Obviously, it’s a two-stop race so let’s see. I’m confident that we’ll be quick."

Mercedes’ George Russell is also likely to be a contender through his strong qualifying form with teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli one of six rookies facing the test for the first time in an F1 car.

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Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST