Verstappen stunned as Red Bull turns Hungarian GP struggles into podium

A result Red Bull did not expect

Max Verstappen arrived at Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix expecting another difficult afternoon. After revealing in the paddock on Saturday that Red Bull appeared to encounter new problems at every Formula 1 weekend, the four-time world champion had little reason to anticipate a podium finish.

“I was just like, ‘How the hell did I end up here?’ I was shocked, I’m actually still shocked,” Verstappen said when asked about his thoughts on the final lap.

Oversteer and decisive race execution

The central issue remained the car’s oversteer. The balance made the RB22 unpredictable from corner to corner and had already caused Verstappen to spin at the final corner during the end of Q3.

“I think one of the hardest races of this year in terms of how I felt in the car, how I had to manage the balance as well from corner to corner,” he said. “So yeah, to be on the podium, I think was an incredible result for us.”

Red Bull’s execution nevertheless gave Verstappen a platform to recover. Moving forward at the start helped make the opening stint viable, although he was undercut. The crucial moment came when he overtook Lewis Hamilton into Turn 1, which made the second stint more straightforward. The team then committed to soft tyres, a strategy Verstappen initially feared would be difficult to carry to the finish, but ultimately made work.

He called the pass on Hamilton the race’s highlight, saying it was his only opportunity because Ferrari had reasonable pace. Verstappen saw the chance and took it.

Problems remain unresolved

Despite the podium, Verstappen made clear that Red Bull’s difficulties have not disappeared. “Overall, I still don’t really understand how we are second,” he said, while praising the team’s performance. He also noticed damage on the car after climbing out, another reminder that the result was achieved under unusually demanding circumstances.

For Red Bull, the Hungarian GP was therefore both encouraging and concerning: a strong result, but one that Verstappen believes exceeded what the car’s performance alone deserved.