Red Bull is looking to regain momentum this weekend in Barcelona as new rules targeting flexible front wings come into effect.
After a dominant return to form at Imola, confidence was high heading into Monaco – but that confidence quickly faded.
"I was wrong," admitted team advisor Dr Helmut Marko after Max Verstappen could only manage fourth place on the streets of Monte Carlo.
Verstappen admitted the Red Bull felt worse than in 2023.
"Slower than last year," he said of the car's performance in Monaco.
Still, Verstappen knows Monaco has rarely suited Red Bull's recent designs and hopes the more conventional layout in Barcelona brings relief.
"Generally speaking yes, but we'll have to wait and see," he said when asked if his car is better suited to the Spanish GP circuit.
Helping their cause could be the FIA's strict enforcement of flexible front wing regulations, which begin in earnest this weekend. Many in the paddock suspect the measure could particularly affect McLaren, who have surged to the top of the pecking order this year.
"I hope it makes a tiny bit of difference," Verstappen said. "But I don't think it will turn the world upside down.
"If it comes our way a little bit, then I think that's positive, but we'll see."
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner echoed the uncertainty, noting that all teams will have to adjust.
"How it will affect individual teams is impossible to predict, but the front wing is a very important part of the car. Perhaps something unusual will happen.
"For us, everything is still wide open. Hopefully we can pick up the momentum from last weekend in Imola. Max is 25 points behind Oscar (Piastri). That's one win, and there are still 16 races to go."
Rivals are also unsure about the impact.
"It will have a certain influence," said Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. "It has an influence on the balance, for sure. But I don't expect it to be a big difference."
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur pointed out how small changes can have large effects in such a tightly packed field.
"It's always about comparison, not just pure performance," said the Frenchman.
"The field is very close together. We were a tenth behind pole here, and the cars behind us were only six-hundredths behind, so if you change the car's potential by one or two tenths, that's huge."
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added in Monaco: "It will be very interesting to see if anything has changed, if anyone is falling back or getting stronger.
We have to use a different front wing, which is a bit stiffer. We'll see what it actually changes."
