Max Verstappen believes Red Bull faces a challenging weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final Formula 1 round before the European summer break. Following what he considered a positive showing in Belgium, the four-time world champion pointed out that the Hungaroring circuit possesses vastly different characteristics compared to Spa-Francorchamps, highlighting the need to lock in a precise setup right from Free Practice 1 to keep the team in the fight for a strong result.

Verstappen and Red Bull have experienced an up-and-down season, but arrive in Hungary on the back of a significant milestone. The Dutchman finished the Belgian Grand Prix in third place—a result that secured the Austrian squad’s 300th F1 podium, as well as the 130th of his career.

Now, attention turns to Budapest. Verstappen emphasized that the Hungarian track presents completely different demands than Spa-Francorchamps and will require a tailored approach to car setup.

“Belgium was a positive race for us. Everything went pretty smoothly throughout the weekend, and it was great to achieve my 130th podium with the team,” he said.

“Hungary is the final race before the summer break, so it’s one last push. It’s a completely different track layout compared to Spa, so we’ll have to see how everything falls into place and ensure we dial in the car as best as possible,” he explained.

The driver noted that performance at the Hungaroring is heavily influenced by Friday’s preparation, making it essential to start the weekend on the front foot. Despite uncertainties surrounding Red Bull’s package, he expressed excitement to gauge the team’s competitiveness and praised the passionate support from the local crowd.

F1 2026, SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, CORRIDA, RED BULL RACING, MAX VERSTAPPEN
Max Verstappen secured Red Bull’s 300th F1 podium (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)

“How you start the weekend makes a huge difference, and we hope to hit the ground running so we can be as competitive as possible,” he said.

“It will be interesting to see how we fair there. We always receive tremendous support from the fans in Hungary, and we’re looking forward to getting back out there,” he concluded.

Formula 1 returns on July 24–26 in Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 11th round of the 2026 season.

F1 Hungarian GP: when to watch in US ET, London, New Delhi, and Shanghai

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