Max Verstappen’s Red Bull RB‑18 suffered a complete power loss at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, forcing the four‑time champion to retire on lap 1.
Stall on the grid and immediate retirement
After challenging for pole and briefly out‑pacing the Ferrari trio, Verstappen’s car stalled as the lights went out, prompting him to swerve to avoid the on‑coming pack. “Yep, nice. Completely ****. Guys, what the **** man?” he muttered over the team radio.
He managed to move off, but the engine produced only a fraction of its usual output. The lack of full‑throttle response led the team to summon the car back to the garage, ending his Monaco weekend prematurely.
Verstappen’s technical assessment
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Verstappen explained that the formation lap already felt “not going very well” and the pre‑start was “terrible”. He added that the engine “dropped dead” after the first corner, sounding “really awful” and delivering minimal power before the decision to retire was taken.
The Dutch driver highlighted that the issue was not entirely unexpected, noting earlier concerns about the power unit during the warm‑up phase.
Next test at Barcelona‑Catalunya
Looking ahead, Verstappen said the upcoming race in Spain will provide a clearer gauge of Red Bull’s recent upgrades, emphasizing that Barcelona’s high‑speed layout will test “aero performance” and the effectiveness of the new components.
If the RB‑18 can maintain consistent power and aerodynamic efficiency there, it could validate the team’s development direction after the Monaco setback.
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