A casino style high stakes gamble goes bust for Red Bull and Verstappen in Monaco

18:39, 25 May

Updated: 18:49, 25 May

byNorberto Mujica

Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing had to concede the podium places to their title rivals, McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, because the race never gave them the shot they needed, Christian Horner believes.

With Verstappen starting P4, it was always a case of making the move up the order due to the strategy.

"We rolled the dice a little bit today, starting on the hard," said Horner to media including GPblog after the Monaco Grand Prix.

"Our tactic was always to go long, with the main opportunity being safety cars or red flags, which can sometimes be the case here," revealing the gamble the Austrian's clinged their hopes for a win on.

Max Verstappen finished P4 at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix

None of Red Bull's gambles for Verstappen paid off

"Max led large portions of the race, but it was one of those Monaco's where everybody pretty much behaved."

"The first stop, we got pretty close to Oscar. At one point he had a wobble on his second lap out after his pit stop, but we would have been at best alongside."

Despite there being no safety cars or VSC's during the first part of the race that the team could capitalise on for Verstappen's efforts on track, Red Bull again decided to go long after the first pitstop.

"So we decided, 'look, let's keep going.' The upside was, if there had been a safety car or a red flag, Max would have led. Then again, we had the medium tyre. We went very, very long on. He obviously stopped on the last lap. And again, you're just hanging out for a safety car or a VSC or red flag at that point."

In the end it was a P4 for Verstappen who sees the gap to Oscar Piastri grow 3 points larger in the championship standings. A damage limitation race for the Dutchman and Red Bull Racing who now look to the Spanish Grand Prix and the implementation of the revised TD018 which restricts front wing flexion.