Verstappen Suffers in Hungary: Eighth in Qualifying, No Grip in Red Bull

Verstappen: “I didn’t feel comfortable at any moment” in Hungary

The defending champion, Max Verstappen, expressed his general discontent during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, culminating in a qualifying in eighth position for Sunday’s race. Verstappen, aboard his Red Bull, struggled to find the right balance in the three practice sessions at the Hungaroring. His final position in qualifying was his best on-track result during the weekend.

“There wasn’t a single lap, not a single corner where I felt good. The whole weekend was a slide,” commented Verstappen.

Max Verstappen

The Dutch driver added that, considering the overall performance of the weekend, being in Q3 was an achievement. He explained that the lack of grip, both front and rear, was a constant, which did not surprise him in qualifying.

The medium-speed and long-duration corners of the Hungaroring exposed Red Bull’s deficiencies. Verstappen highlighted that the current performance is a step back compared to the previous year, when he qualified third on the same circuit. Verstappen, currently third in the championship, sees his chances of defending the title increasingly reduced, with a difference of 81 points with the leader, Oscar Piastri, who will start second on the Hungarian grid. When asked about his expectations for Sunday’s race, Verstappen replied: “There are some cars in front of me that I might be able to fight a bit with, but of course, Lewis [Hamilton, in 12th position] is a bit further back and shouldn’t be there, right? So he will move forward a bit.”