Hungarian Grand Prix: Verstappen Secures Red Bull’s Twelfth Consecutive Win

Image: AFP

During the race, Max Verstappen exhibited his extraordinary driving skills, finishing an astonishing 30 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, Lando Norris of McLaren. Verstappen's exceptional performance further solidified his position at the top of the championship standings. As the Dutchman continues to shine, the championship title appears to be firmly within his grasp. 

Sergio Perez, also racing for Red Bull, is currently holding on to second place in the championship standings, but he finds himself 99 points behind his teammate Verstappen. This substantial points gap means that the battle for the championship title has effectively shifted to a competition for the runner-up spot. Behind Perez, Aston Martin's veteran driver, Fernando Alonso, trails by an additional 32 points, making the contest for second place a closely fought affair. 

Perez's Drive 

Despite starting from a challenging ninth position due to a less than stellar performance in the qualifying session, Sergio Perez showcased his tenacity and skill during the race. Skillfully manoeuvring through the grid, Perez managed to work his way up to the third position, securing a well-deserved podium finish. Albeit impressive, we have to remember the calibre of the Red Bull Perez is currently driving. Even with a third place finish we are left a little disappointed once again, as the Red Bull should more or less every weekend be ending up in second place. 

Image: Getty Images

Hamilton's Struggle and McLaren's Strong Showing   

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, had a mixed race at the Hungarian Grand Prix. After an unexpected pole position in qualifying, he faced a challenging first lap, losing ground to both Max Verstappen and the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri. Despite this setback, Hamilton showed his experience and skill, mounting a strong comeback to ultimately secure fourth place in the race. 

Meanwhile, McLaren had yet another standout weekend. Lando Norris impressed with a third-place qualifying result and showed exemplary racecraft to maintain his position on the podium, securing second place behind Verstappen. Norris's consistent performances this season have undoubtedly raised expectations from the McLaren fans, and everyone is excited to see where the Papaya team ends up come Abu Dhabi. 

Oscar Piastri   

Oscar Piastri showcased immense potential during the Hungarian Grand Prix. The young Australian driver exhibited superb racecraft and made an impressive start, finding himself in second place early in the race. However, his relative inexperience became evident during the third stint of the race, where he struggled to manage his tire wear optimally. Nonetheless, his promising performance bodes well for his future in the sport. 

Image: Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo's Return 

All eyes were on Daniel Ricciardo as he made his comeback to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri. The Australian driver had a successful qualifying session, outperforming his teammate Yuki Tsunoda to secure a spot in Q2. However, his race did not go as planned, as he found himself involved in a first-lap incident caused by Guanyu Zhou. Despite the setback, Ricciardo displayed resilience and a steady performance, finishing 13th and outpacing his teammate by a considerable margin. The Hungarian Grand Prix has set the stage for an exciting season ahead for Ricciardo as he continues to adjust to his new team and strives for further success. 

Looking Ahead to Belgium   

With the Hungarian Grand Prix concluded, all eyes are now on the upcoming race in Belgium. As the championship battle seems to be almost decided in favor of Max Verstappen, the competition for second place remains intense, with Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso closely vying for the position. Furthermore, the performances and upgrades by both McLaren and Mercedes shows that the fight for the other podium spots are up for grabs. 

The Belgian Grand Prix will be the last race before the summer break, and we will have both a sprint race and feature race. Tune in the upcoming weekend to see how the drivers and teams fares.