Max Verstappen has downplayed his string of 🐭incidents at the start of the Formula 1 season after crashing out of qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, leaving him at the back of the grid for the race.

Verstappen crashed out of qualifying after touching the inside barrier at the Swimming Pool chicane, damaging his front-right wheel that left him to career into the wall at the exit ﷺof the corner.

The damage sustained to his Red Bull car meant he was unable to take part in qualifying, having been forced into a gearboꦚx change after a leak was found on the car just as it was fired up ahea🉐d of Q1.

Asked to explain the incident, Verstappen said: "I clipped the inside barrier. I got a little bit caught off guard with the ܫslow car, but that’s not an excuse, and I hit the wall.

"It’s all happening that quick at that stage when y꧅ou get a little bit distracted, I gu🐠ess I just turned in a little bit earlier than normal - or clearly turned in earlier…"

Verstappen's crash follows previous incidents in Australia (where he spun in the race), Bahrain (crashed in qualifying and hit Lewis Hamilton in the race), China (went ꦅoff trying to pass Hamilton, and hit Vettel in the race), Baku (crashed with teammate Daniel Ricciardo) and Spain (touched Lance Stroll behind the Virtual Safety𝓡 Car).

However, the Dutchman downplayed his record of incidents, denying there had😼 been six races in a row.

"I wouldn’t call Barcelona an incident. I think this, toꦡgether with China, was my mistake," Verstappen said.

"It’s of course not what you’d like to happen, but unfo🍌rtunately i♔t happens."

Asked how he could explain his recurring inci🤪dents, Verstappen said: "At the moment, I can’t.

"The team will always be behind me, in good and bad times. It goes either way. Last year, with a lot of engine 🅠problems and stuff, I was exactly the same.

"We work as a team. You win and lose together."