Max Verstappen discusses Monaco, where he can break Ayrton Senna's record

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has become the class of the field since 2022, winning two of his titles at a canter.

As McLaren and Ferrari close Red Bull's advantage, the Dutchman is heading into this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix off the back of victory in Imola.

Verstappen has a checkered history with Monaco's unforgiving streets. Early in his career, the Red Bull driver suffered two big shunts in the Principality before winning twice in 2021 and 2023.

Bouncing back after an incident in practice in 2018 sparked an impressive run to fourth in the championship, ahead of Valtteri Bottas in a superior Mercedes.

His blistering speed in the rain and ultimate focus in qualifying to deliver pole position has earned him comparisons with fellow three-time world champion Ayrton Senna.

Like Verstappen, the Brazilian was sometimes unbeatable in mixed conditions and pushed his car to its limits over a single lap.

Verstappen's prowess in qualifying has never been more apparent than in his current run of form, which has seen him take eight consecutive pole positions. His eighth pole of this extraordinary run at Imola last time out equaled the record set by Senna.

It would be fitting if the Dutchman broke Senna's record of most consecutive pole positions on Saturday in Monaco, a track where Senna won six times, the most of any driver.

Both drivers have had tremendous success in Formula 1's shortest, most brutal circuit, but Senna was a cut above the rest.

He announced his arrival on the world stage during his debut season in 1984 when he finished second for Toleman, a team that never won a Grand Prix. 

The Brazilian raced at Monaco 10 times, winning on six occasions, his first coming for Lotus in 1987. A year later, he crashed while leading by 55 seconds, one of Senna's most famous, agonizing moments.

From 1989 onward, he went on an inspired five-consecutive run that no one has been able to match.

Verstappen will be eager to take his third win in Monaco and extend his championship lead, but the Dutchman isn't expecting a comfortable outing. He said, via F1.com: 

“We did work on it a bit compared to last year. I think so far on most of the tracks that we’ve been to our low-speed performance has improved a little bit, but I don’t think this is going to be a very easy weekend.

“But I think Monaco never is very straightforward, even when you’re supposed to have the best car. Monaco is a very tricky track to get everything to work, to get the tyres to work in a quali lap, for example, red flags, there’s always a lot of disruption."