The reigning champion ended up in P6 after hitting the wall at Sainte-Devote during his final qualifying run.
The Dutch driver struggled to match the pace of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, who were vying for pole position.
As Verstappen pushed hard into Turn One, his car struck the barriers, forcing him to abandon his lap.
Although the collision didn’t cause significant damage, it led to the 26-year-old dropping below Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, and George Russell.
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Starting from sixth on the grid, it seems unlikely that the three-time world champion will maintain his record of finishing on the podium in every Grand Prix he has completed in 2024.
After the session, a reporter asked him if this was his first real mistake of the year. Verstappen responded sharply: “I wouldn’t say so.
“I would happily invite everyone in this paddock to drive that car and try to go faster than me.”
Verstappen had been struggling with the car from the start in Monaco, finishing the first practice session in the lower half of the field.
Despite posting more competitive times later, he continued to struggle over the bumps and kerbs in the subsequent sessions.
The RB20 was on a knife’s edge around the bumpy streets of the Principality, and Red Bull’s struggles were consistent with their poor performance on similar street circuits.
Last year, the reigning champions struggled in Singapore, and the same might happen in Canada next time out.
Verstappen confirmed this after qualifying. When asked if it was a track-specific problem, he said: “It for sure is.
There are a few more tracks coming up where it’s bumpy and you need the right kerbs.
“It’s definitely a limitation for us.”
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Unfortunately for Verstappen, with overtaking nearly impossible in Monaco, he faces a tough race starting from sixth.
His team-mate, Sergio Perez, is bracing for an even more frustrating afternoon.
For the second consecutive year, Perez was eliminated in Q1, ending the first part of qualifying with only the two Sauber cars behind him.