Verschoor ready to 'feel at home' between Monte Carlo walls

21 May 2025

After a tough time around Imola, Richard Verschoor is ready to reset and tackle the toughest track on the Formula 2 calendar in Monte Carlo.

The MP Motorsport driver wound up in the points on Sunday last weekend, but it was not what he or the team had hoped for having arrived in Europe as the leader in the Drivers' Championship.

Ahead of the Round 5 action around the Principality, Verschoor said that he was content with the two points he earned for P9 last time out, considering the team’s tough Qualifying result.

“Imola was really bad for us,” the Dutch driver admitted. “But I was very happy in the end to come away with two points. I think those two points could be very important in the end.

“I was very sick on the Thursday and Friday, I’m not blaming everything on that, but if I compare it to how I felt on Sunday, it was a big difference. I just wasn’t sharp on Friday, so I think that left me a bit on the back foot.

“We had the Red Flags as well, so that didn’t help me, but I think it was mainly myself not being on top of it on Friday that set us back a lot.

Verschoor is aiming to rebound after a tough Imola weekend for himself and MP Motorsport

“We still came through, of course we were lucky with the Safety Car. I’m not going to deny any of that. But this time the luck went our way and I’m very happy to get the two points. We weren’t expecting it, but it worked out well in the end.”

Returning to Monte Carlo in 2025, the MP driver has high expectations around a circuit he says he feels very comfortable around.

He enters Round 5 third in the Drivers’ Championship, just nine points behind new leader Alexander Dunne, and feeling positive about his chances.

Last season’s heartbreak in the Feature Race is a distant memory, as Verschoor says he is entering this weekend the way he would any other, aiming for the best result possible regardless of the events last year.

“Last year – what happened, happened. It was a nice week up until Sunday. But you start from zero every year. The conditions might be different, anything could be different.

“I’m with a different team this year, so I just need to focus on myself. I know I’m very confident, I’m quick here, so I just need to put the car in my hands, if it’s not already like that in FP, and go for it.

The Dutch driver will be hoping 2025 is finally his year around the Principality

“Somehow, I’ve always felt confident between the walls, I don’t know why. I’m just very excited. Already now on the Wednesday, I can feel that excitement to jump in the car tomorrow. So I’m just going to go for it, but I’m going to enjoy it as well.”

Looking ahead to the challenge that awaits, Verschoor says Friday’s Qualifying session is the all-important one, but that he and the team have to build into the weekend and aim to start on the front foot in Thursday’s Practice session.

Whether or not that goes exactly according to plan or not, the Dutchman says he’ll be giving it everything come Feature Race Sunday.

“Hopefully that’s not the toughest part of our weekend. I hope it’s staying in front on Sunday in the Feature Race. But let’s first look at Friday. There’s the make-it-or-break-it session. It can go many ways, and every lap we have to perform.

“You never know what might happen with Red Flags as well, so I just have to push like I usually do, and then we’ll try to take the maximum.”