Max Verstappen Jokes He May Need a “New Back” for Monaco as Red Bull’s Ride Problems Continue

Max Verstappen turned Red Bull’s latest weakness into a joke, but the message behind it was clear: bumps, kerbs and ride quality could become a serious challenge on the streets of Monaco.

Max Verstappen rarely needs many words to make a point. Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver summed up one of his team’s biggest concerns with a sharp joke: he may need to “order a new back” for the weekend.

The comment came as Red Bull continues to work through a familiar weakness over bumps and kerbs. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Verstappen again highlighted how difficult the RB22 can become when the track surface is uneven and the car is forced to attack kerbs aggressively.

“Oh yes, that is going to be great. I think I’m going to order a new back!” Max Verstappen, speaking about Monaco

A Joke with a Serious Message

Verstappen’s remark was delivered with humour, but the underlying concern is very real. Monaco is one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar for ride quality. The layout is narrow, bumpy and unforgiving, with drivers needing full confidence to place the car close to barriers lap after lap.

For a Red Bull car already sensitive over kerbs and uneven surfaces, the Principality could expose one of the RB22’s least comfortable traits. The issue is not only about comfort. If a driver cannot attack kerbs or trust the car over bumps, lap time disappears quickly.

Red Bull’s Kerb Problem Has Not Disappeared

Red Bull has faced similar questions before. Even in previous seasons of strong overall performance, the team’s cars have often looked less comfortable on circuits where kerbs and bumps play a major role. Canada and Monaco both place extra pressure on that area.

In Montreal, Verstappen indicated that bumpy circuits remain difficult for the team. Monaco now represents an even more extreme version of that test, because there is almost no margin for error and very little opportunity to recover lost track position.

• Monaco’s surface is uneven and highly sensitive to ride quality.
• Drivers need confidence to attack kerbs and barriers in qualifying.
• Red Bull’s RB22 has shown weakness over bumps and kerbs.
• Track position is crucial because overtaking is extremely difficult.
• A small handling limitation can become a major performance loss.

Laurent Mekies Remains Confident

Despite Verstappen’s concerns, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has remained optimistic that the team can address the issue. His message is not that the problem is imaginary, but that Red Bull believes it has the tools and understanding to improve the situation.

That confidence matters. Red Bull’s challenge is not simply to make the car faster in clean air, but to make it more usable across different track types. Monaco will test that progress brutally, because a fast but uncomfortable car can quickly become a liability between the walls.

Red Bull’s Monaco weekend may depend less on peak downforce and more on whether the RB22 can give Verstappen the confidence to attack. F1LiveUpdates analysis

Why Qualifying Will Be Critical

Monaco’s Sunday race is often shaped by what happens on Saturday. With overtaking so limited, qualifying position becomes one of the strongest predictors of the final result. For Verstappen, that means any ride-quality limitation could be magnified.

If Red Bull can calm the RB22 over bumps, Verstappen remains one of the most dangerous drivers on the grid. If not, the team could find itself fighting the car as much as its rivals.

A Crucial Test for Red Bull’s Development Direction

Monaco may not be the most representative circuit on the calendar, but it can reveal weaknesses with brutal clarity. For Red Bull, the weekend will be an important measure of how much progress has been made in an area that Verstappen has repeatedly flagged.

Verstappen’s “new back” joke will get the headlines, but the bigger story is technical. Red Bull knows that championship campaigns are not won only on smooth, flowing circuits. To fight consistently, the RB22 must become more adaptable.

In Monaco, there is nowhere to hide. The kerbs, bumps and barriers will ask the question. Red Bull now has to provide the answer.