Monaghan: Verstappen Shielded by "Mythical Armour"

Paul Monaghan claims Verstappen’s resilience stems from his intense 2021 rivalry with Hamilton.

Paul Monaghan, head of trackside engineering at Red Bull Racing, asserts that Max Verstappen is driving with increased confidence following his fiercely contested 2021 season against Lewis Hamilton.

Monaghan perceives “a phenomenal inner strength” in Verstappen, who is chasing his fourth consecutive world championship title since clinching the 2021 title amid a series marked by clashes with Hamilton.

“There’s a kind of mythical armour that has formed, if you will,” Monaghan shares. “Very little can derail him now.”

“His confidence has solidified. He drives with far more assurance now than back in 2021, for instance. We had our mix-ups with Lewis, didn’t we? Now, nothing really fazes him.”

Monaghan believes Verstappen’s victory that year has enabled him to build on his strengths as a driver.

“He’s transitioned from someone who had expectations, beliefs, and confidence to someone who has fulfilled those expectations and is now, in my view, one of the greatest drivers we will ever see in F1.”

When Verstappen, then aged 18, was transferred to Red Bull in the middle of the 2016 season, it was a significant surprise in the paddock. But from the first free practice session, Monaghan was convinced of the young man’s talent.

“I vividly remember when he joined us and Nico (Rosberg) and Lewis (Hamilton) collided at the start in Spain. I was always anxious, but what a cool character, my goodness. He was under no pressure. Kimi (Raikkonen) was on his heels the whole time. But he managed to pull ahead of him for the straight and fully recharge the battery every time. Incredibly impressive.”

According to Monaghan, the Dutchman’s aggressive racing style has triggered many spectacular battles.

“He has won races by attacking, but also by defending. The example from Imola this year is phenomenal. But let me take you back to Miami in 2023. He spun out there, or had a spin in qualifying. Either way, something went wrong. Then Charles (Leclerc) caused a red flag and Max was 9th with Checo (Perez) on pole position. By the 15th lap, Max was already right behind Checo. Then I thought to myself, ‘This is an abnormal way to race.’ He overtook people, took care of his tyres, and then caught up to his teammate.”

In 2022, according to Monaghan, Verstappen perhaps demonstrated his best side. That was when the Briton became convinced of Verstappen’s sheer speed compared to his rivals.

“If you look at Spa 2022, he was gone, completely out in front. And he didn’t put a foot wrong. He never loses focus. I refer you to Spain 2022 as well when the DRS was not opening reliably. Go listen to that radio. My goodness. It will give you an insight into what’s happening, regardless of the situation.”

The driving style of the triple world champion is almost unmatched.

“My interpretation is that he can really take every corner at the limit. His understanding of the available grip is truly phenomenal.”