Verstappen, Red Bull assess issues after Hungary

Max Verstappen’s P2 in Hungary did not end Red Bull’s concerns, with reports pointing to qualifying instability and wider technical issues.

Max Verstappen finished second in the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Formula1.com reporting that Red Bull’s strategy calls helped deliver his fourth podium of the 2026 season. The 71-time Grand Prix winner left Hungary sixth in the drivers' championship on 109 points, but the result did not end questions around the car.

Autosport and Motorsport.com both reported that Red Bull struggled for balance and consistency through the Hungaroring weekend, especially in qualifying, and that Verstappen said new issues keep appearing from one event to the next. RaceFans reported that he described the car as aerodynamically damaged after his qualifying spin, while Motorsport.com said Red Bull admitted it had not given him a car he could fully lean on.

BBC Sport separately reported that Verstappen had also raised safety concerns over a rear-wing failure on the Red Bull after recent incidents. For a team that has won 130 Grands Prix and six constructors' titles since entering Formula 1 in 2005, Hungary still left a podium on the board and technical problems to understand.