Tensions rose at the Hungarian Grand Prix between Verstappen and Hamilton.
- Helmut Marko accuses Hamilton of causing a collision with Verstappen.
- Red Bull’s upgrades fell short against McLaren’s pace.
- Stewards deemed the collision a “racing incident” with no penalties.
- A difficult weekend for Red Bull ended with Verstappen in fifth.
A dramatic clash unfolded at the Hungarian Grand Prix when Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collided at Turn 1. Helmut Marko, representing Red Bull, pointed the finger at Hamilton, claiming he ‘turned in’ on Verstappen as he attempted an overtaking maneuver on the inside. Despite Verstappen’s chain of upgrades for the RB20, Red Bull struggled to keep pace with McLaren, which added frustration to the Red Bull camp.
As the race neared its conclusion, Verstappen attempted a risky move on the inside of Turn One. His car’s front right tire clipped Hamilton’s Mercedes, sending him airborne briefly before losing fourth place to Charles Leclerc. Fortunately, Verstappen managed to continue the race, securing a fifth-place finish. The race officials reviewed the incident but classified it as a ‘racing collision,’ choosing not to penalize either driver. Their judgment noted that neither competitor held predominant blame, although Hamilton could have exercised more caution to avoid the tangle.
Marko, however, expressed his dissent opining that Hamilton’s actions were at fault, asserting, ‘Then there was the last action, when Hamilton and Verstappen were lapping a Williams and Max spotted a gap, immediately jumped into the hole and then there was a collision.’ Marko elaborated on how Verstappen’s wheels locked up, yet he retained control, and the incident resulted from Hamilton’s maneuvering.
The race weekend proved challenging for Red Bull. Verstappen was disheartened with the car’s performance enhancements, and the race strategy failed to secure a competitive edge over McLaren. Verstappen’s disappointment was palpable when he lost pole position by just 46 thousandths of a second, believing the improvements would provide a more significant advantage. Still, Red Bull could not outpace McLaren.
Further adding to their woes, Verstappen had a moment on the first lap where he initially moved into second place before relinquishing it to stay clear of potential penalties. Marko reflected on this, hinting that perhaps retaining the position would have been the more beneficial choice given the difficulty of overtaking on the circuit. ‘Emotions ran high,’ said Marko, noting Verstappen’s and his engineer’s frustrated exchanges during the race.
The Hungarian GP was a testy affair for Red Bull, with accusations, missed opportunities, and a fifth-place finish for Verstappen.
