Max Verstappen needs to end his ‘M curse’ in Montreal

MONTREAL – Max Verstappen was dominant in Montreal a year ago, leading every lap from pole, but he faces a fight for a third successive Canadian Grand Prix victory this weekend.

There have been three different winners in the last three races and, after winning 19 of 22 in the most one-sided Formula One season in 2023, Red Bull’s three-time world champion has now failed to win three of the last six.

Curiously, street circuits in cities starting with the letter M are the ones to have brought no joy – Melbourne, Miami and Monaco – and Verstappen needs to end that sequence.

Ferrari, winners in Australia with Carlos Sainz and Monaco with Charles Leclerc, will fancy their chances in Montreal at a circuit named after their late great Gilles Villeneuve.

Verstappen has not been beaten in two successive races since July 2022, winning in Japan after Australia and at Imola after Miami (won by McLaren’s Lando Norris), but he identified running over kerbs as a weakness in Monaco.

Race 9 of the season in Montreal, where riding over kerbs is a fast track to gain lap time, could see more of the same.

“We’ve had this problem since 2022. But of course for the last two years we had a car advantage and it gets masked a little bit, as we gain a bit in the corners where the kerbs and the bumps are not the limitation,” the Dutchman said.

“But with everyone catching up, naturally when you’re not improving your weakest point you get found out.”

But Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur predicted another close battle in Canada between the Red Bulls and the red cars, as well as McLaren.

Ferrari are now only 24 points behind Red Bull, and have scored with both cars in every race unlike their rivals. Leclerc is 31 points behind Verstappen, who has five race wins.

“It’s probably almost the opposite to Monaco in terms of speed but you also have the characteristics of the kerbs, with a lot of low speed corners and chicanes,” Vasseur said.

“Some corners (are) similar to Monaco but overall we were performing in Melbourne, we did well in Imola, in Miami... It will be tight.”

McLaren will also hope to continue in the mix after a run of four successive podium places, including Norris’ Miami victory and Oscar Piastri’s second place in Monaco.

“Our car has performed well at a few different types of circuits, but we know we might have our work cut out in Canada,” said Norris. “Our competitors are likely to be strong here.”

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll is the only Canadian in the race but has yet to finish higher than ninth at his hometown circuit.

REUTERS