Nico Rosberg makes Red Bull prediction after ‘almost symbolic’ Monza mistake

Nico Rosberg thinks Red Bull could “come back into the mix” in the coming races, but highlighted a rare slow pit stop for Max Verstappen as “almost symbolic” for their Italian Grand Prix weekend.

Verstappen was seen hitting his steering wheel after a 6.2-second stop hindered his race, though he later admitted the pace from his car was not where he wanted it to be all weekend, and was unable to run at full engine power throughout as he finished in sixth place at the chequered flag.

Nico Rosberg: Red Bull made ‘almost symbolic’ pit stop error at Monza

Verstappen still holds a 62-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship, but Red Bull ‘s lead in the Constructors’ standings has been cut to just eight points as McLaren close in for the lead, with Ferrari now only 39 points off top spot themselves.

Now without a win since the Spanish Grand Prix in June, Red Bull are looking for a way to put themselves back on the top step of the podium.

Given the strength they have continually shown in the pit lane – having won the teams’ Fastest Pit Stop award for each of the last six seasons – Rosberg pointed out their rare sub-standard stop for Verstappen was perhaps a symbol of what has not been quite right of late.

That being said, the 2016 World Champion predicts they should return to the front-runners in the coming races, with Baku and Singapore coming up next.

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“Red Bull never mess up their pit stops. They are perfect in their pit stops. So that’s like, almost symbolic, that even the pit stop went wrong,” Rosberg said on Sky F1 after the race at Monza.

“Like, what on earth is going on there? I mean, Max is 38 seconds behind the Ferrari and the McLaren. Isn’t that incredible?

“And they don’t know why. Like, it’s a turn of events that no-one could have predicted, and just makes it all the more exciting.

“I think it’s not as extreme as this. I think they’re going to come back into the mix much better and in the next couple of races, because let’s remember, in Zandvoort, they were still very strong and finished second.

“But still, they’ve lost their way, and I’m not sure if they can turn it around so quickly.”

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