Verstappen downplays Red Bull prospects at Italian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has set modest expectations for the Italian Grand Prix, acknowledging that he and Red Bull must be realistic about their performance prospects at the Temple of Speed. The four-time world champion arrives at Monza following a disappointing home race at Zandvoort, where he crashed out on the first lap and was also battling illness. Verstappen confirmed he has fully recovered from the flu that affected him during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. "I was very ill," he said. "Actually, you appreciate the other days. You feel like how good it is to feel like that. Because the whole weekend in Zandvoort was awful. Even after Zandvoort, for a few days, I was still not good. So it was actually really nice to have that week to recover and feel better again." Despite his improved health, Verstappen is not anticipating a strong result at Monza. He pointed to Red Bull's recent struggles with energy management on circuits that are inefficient for the current regulations. "I think on the inefficient tracks, we've not been particularly great with energy, so I don't expect miracles here. It will still be tough," he stated.