Max Verstappen secured his seventh consecutive Grand Prix win in Budapest, making a remarkable pass on Lewis Hamilton into Turn 1 and ultimately finishing 33 seconds ahead of runner-up Lando Norris. Verstappen’s victory also marked Red Bull’s 12th consecutive win, breaking the record set by the renowned McLaren MP4/4 in 1988.
Toto Wolff, the motorsport boss of Mercedes, praised Verstappen’s commanding performance and compared the competition to driving around in Formula 2 cars against the dominant Red Bull. He acknowledged the gap in pace and admitted that Red Bull had done an exceptional job within the regulations.
Despite a poor start, Hamilton managed to finish in fourth place, leading the Mercedes team. George Russell, who started in 18th place due to a new qualifying format, impressively classified sixth, showcasing Mercedes’ stronger one-lap showing. However, the team struggled to capitalize on their race pace compared to Red Bull.
Wolff attributed their challenges to both Hamilton’s poor start and potentially mishandled tire preparation, which cost them valuable time during the race. He acknowledged that Red Bull’s pace, especially Verstappen’s flawless laps, set the standard Mercedes needed to strive for.
Despite the setback in Budapest, Mercedes remains determined to fight back and compete with Red Bull in upcoming races and championships, making for an exciting and competitive season ahead.
