Red Bull has identified the engine issue that ended Max Verstappen's Monaco Grand Prix on the opening lap. Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the problem developed during the formation lap and noted that a power unit change had already been planned.
Verstappen qualified second on Saturday but lost power immediately after releasing the clutch on Sunday. He reported anomalies during the formation lap and struggled with RPMs before the start. Mekies told media that the issue gave the team no chance to respond. He said the power unit was Verstappen's first of the season and that swapping it after Monaco was standard practice on the low-power circuit. Verstappen, currently seventh in the championship, described the retirement as annoying but less painful than if it had threatened his title position. He hopes the team fixes the problem quickly. The team saw strong pace in qualifying despite the mixed weekend. Verstappen said Barcelona will provide a better test of recent car changes.
