Verstappen responds to hidden Red Bull pace claims

Max Verstappen has insisted there is no hidden performance in the Red Bull RB19 despite teasing faster pace during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The two-time F1 World Champion has been imperious this season, opening up a 110-point advantage over teammate Sergio Perez in the Drivers' standings following seven-successive victories.

Dutchman Verstappen has rarely been troubled at the head of the field, often afforded the opportunity to coast through the race to ensure his tyres are not unnecessarily degraded.

But a spurt of pace following a pit stop during his Hungarian Grand Prix victory saw Verstappen set a lap time around a second faster than any other effort he had put in.

They all drive like that

Asked if there was any performance being hidden, Verstappen explained to media including RacingNews365: "It is the peak of the tyres, it is draining the battery to do the best lap you can.

"If you keep that pace up, you just degrade your tyres. The whole race, you are always pace managing - you can ask any driver, they all drive like that.

"If you try to achieve laps like that, you will need to pit again in five laps for new tyres.

"I could have won by more, I could have won by less.

"It is strategy-related and tyre-related. But how we did it, it worked really well."