Max Verstappen has stated that both he and Red Bull must work to ensure the RB22 is fine-tuned to a competitive window at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.
The Monza Circuit hosts the 13th round of the 2026 F1 campaign this weekend, with Verstappen seeking a return to the podium.
After back-to-back top-three results in Belgium and Hungary, the four-time champion entered his home event in the Netherlands last time out hoping to add to his podium tally.
However, his race ended on the opening lap as he spun in tricky conditions, making heavy contact with the barrier.
It marked an excruciating result for Verstappen, at what was the final Dutch Grand Prix for the foreseeable future.
“Not being able to finish the race in Zandvoort was disappointing,” Verstappen said ahead of the weekend.
“But it was still really special to see the fans at the circuit one last time and thank them for all the memories.”
Verstappen has triumphed at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on three occasions during his career, including last year's event as he continued to close the gap to McLaren in the championship.
However, the 28-year-old refrained from putting a label on expectations for the weekend ahead, insisting the primary task was getting the car set up in a strong window.
“We are heading to Monza, after a reset, and it is difficult to predict how competitive we will be there,” he said.
“There are a few things we need to work on to be a bit closer to the pace and to make sure balance of the car is right.
“Monza is one of my favourite tracks and I like that it is an old-school, fast circuit; I always enjoy coming here and seeing the passionate fans.
“It is a track that we have typically performed well at before so we will wait and see what is possible."
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