Max Verstappen tells 'hard' truth despite Red Bull defying expectations

Max Verstappen feels the Hungarian Grand Prix was one of the "hardest" races of the season in terms of how his RB22 felt, despite securing a second-place finish that matched his best result of the year.

The Red Bull driver crossed the line behind race winner Lando Norris at the Hungaroring, equalling his runner-up finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, a result that looked improbable after a torrid qualifying session on Saturday.

Verstappen qualified sixth after battling aerodynamic loss, a lack of mechanical grip and severe oversteer throughout the weekend. A spin at the final corner on his last Q3 flying lap left him stranded some five tenths off Norris' pole time, and prompted him to label the car "impossible" and "undriveable" over team radio.

Same problems, no solutions

Nothing changed overnight. Asked whether he was happier with the car on race day given he had referenced the same issues from qualifying, Verstappen was unequivocal.

"No. It was exactly the same," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365. "There's nothing that you can change anyway after qualifying, so I knew that it was going to be tough, and it was very tough.

"Honestly, I think it was 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, corner to corner.

"So, to be on the podium, I think, was an incredible result for us."

Defying the pre-race narrative

Heading into the weekend, many had tipped the Hungaroring as one of Red Bull's strongest opportunities of 2026. The circuit's short straights and low-speed corners were expected to mask the RB22's energy deployment weaknesses, with several previews framing the race as a realistic shot at a maiden win this season.

In that context, a second place built on sheer perseverance rather than outright pace told its own story. Isack Hadjar reinforced the team's effort with a solid sixth place, extending an impressive run of seven consecutive top-six finishes in his rookie campaign.

For Verstappen, though, the result could not paper over the fundamental struggles that have defined Red Bull's season. The balance issues he fought corner to corner in Budapest remain unresolved, and with no quick fix available, extracting results from a difficult car will continue to test even a four-time world champion.

"Honestly, I think it was 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, corner to corner. So, to be on the podium, I think, was an incredible result for us."

"No. It was exactly the same," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365. "There’s nothing that you can change anyway after qualifying, so I knew that it was going to be tough, and it was very tough.

"Honestly, I think it was 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, corner to corner.

"So, to be on the podium, I think, was an incredible result for us."