Max Verstappen questions Red Bull strategy in third consecutive victory failure

Max Verstappen questioned whether Red Bull's strategy left the team with the right tyres available after failing to secure a third consecutive victory.

The four-time world champion started on the front row in second but was slow off the line, making a dive on Kimi Antonelli at the first corner impossible.

Verstappen was overtaken by Charles Leclerc in the opening corners but quickly reclaimed the position at the end of the first lap before settling into the race.

Red Bull quickly committed to a two-stop strategy, although the Dutchman's second stint saw him complain and describe his RB22 as "undriveable".

Verstappen's first two stints were on the softs before he moved onto the mediums, where his pace improved, allowing him to move through the field and back into second.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old was overtaken by Leclerc in the closing laps, leaving him to finish third behind the Ferrari driver and race winner Antonelli. Had it not been for a very late Virtual Safety Car, Lewis Hamilton may also have passed the Red Bull.

The Red Bull star acknowledged that he had got fortunate towards the end, but said the greater problem was the tyres at his disposal.

"I think our overall pace was not good enough, and then probably also the tyres that we had available were probably not the right ones," said Verstappen.

"So, that’s something that we have to understand, because the last few races it was always working well for us.

"For whatever reason it didn’t work out here, but we still managed to get on the podium. Maybe a little bit lucky with the VSC at the end, but I’ll take it."