Formula 1: Red Bull dispute with “childish” Verstappen – Piastri premiere

To make matters worse, Max Verstappen had to go to the race stewards after his wild ride on the Hungaroring, throwing tantrums almost every minute. The three-time Formula 1 world champion suffered another setback at the radio-squad race in Hungary and was unable to win the third race in a row in the Red Bull. He didn’t even make it onto the podium, finishing fifth. “The strategy today was very bad,” complained Verstappen before going to the stewards, and then even said: “We did everything badly.”

“It’s disappointing and Max is frustrated, but we have to get through it,” said Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. “We simply couldn’t overtake, which showed the strategy we chose to be completely wrong.” But Verstappen was not blameless either: Shortly before the end, he attempted a maneuver that caused his Red Bull to lift halfway off the track, losing him places and points and earning him a trip to the race stewards.

Instead, Oscar Piastri celebrated his first Grand Prix victory. The 23-year-old Australian overtook his team rival Lando Norris shortly before the end, after he had been asked to do so several times by the McLaren command post. Norris had previously benefited from a decision by the team that had clearly disadvantaged Piastri.

“The team asked me to do it. So I did it,” said Norris, whose expression suddenly turned to stone when asked. Before that, in a humorous conversation with former world champion and interviewer Nico Rosberg, he had spoken of a great day for the team.

Hamilton races back onto the podium

Personally, it was a difficult day for the Briton, who would have gained 15 points in the standings instead of eight on Verstappen with the second victory of his career. The Dutchman is still leading with 76 points after only finishing fifth at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Silverstone winner Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes came third in a race that was particularly entertaining thanks to the pit radio. The 104-time Grand Prix winner naturally had words of praise for the first-time winner. “He did a great job. It was only a matter of time before he won,” said Hamilton. “This is the day I dreamed of as a child,” said Piastri himself.

Also noteworthy: In the 13 races of the season, seven different drivers have won so far. Piastri’s success ahead of his teammate is also proof that McLaren currently has the fastest car. “We have to keep working hard and not allow ourselves the slightest mistake, otherwise we’ll soon be second,” warned Marko.

Verstappen’s attempt to overtake both McLarens placed ahead of him at the start ended in the first major radio dispute. He had driven into the first corner on the outside but had to leave the track. Verstappen lined up behind Piastri but ahead of poleman Norris and the pits asked him to let the McLaren driver overtake again to avoid a penalty. “Okay, so you can just push people off the track,” Verstappen replied venomously.

The ranking at the penultimate race before the summer break was now cemented. Piastri, who had finished second in Austria, led ahead of Norris, Verstappen and Hamilton. Much further back, Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Pérez was trying to limit the damage.

After a crash in qualifying, he had to start from 16th place, although Hungary and Belgium in a week’s time will be his last tests, and he is in danger of losing his cockpit during the summer break. “We can’t run on one leg,” said team boss Christian Horner meaningfully in Hungary. Ultimately, Pérez finished seventh.

But for Verstappen, too, the weekend with a total of over 300,000 spectators did not go as hoped despite the innovations on the RB 20. During the race, he repeatedly complained about the brakes, but again had thrilling duels with Hamilton – two weeks after the latter’s return to the top step of the podium with his 104th career victory.

A “complicated” first win for Piastri

With nine poles and eight wins, Hamilton is also the Hungaroring specialist. But Verstappen was close to the Brit. Shortly before the end, the tires of the two cars touched when the Dutchman tried to pass the Mercedes on the inside in his Red Bull. The rear end lifted off, Verstappen first caught the car before it hit the track barrier and then immediately started complaining again. His audibly annoyed race engineer countered: “You’re childish.”

But McLaren also needed to talk and there was an icy silence in between. Norris had benefited from an earlier second tire change. As a rule, the better placed driver is brought in first. Not in this case, McLaren radioed the suffering Piastri that they would manage the situation. The result: Norris was instructed several times and more or less directly to let Piastri pass again. “In the end it was a bit complicated,” said the first-time winner, who would certainly have preferred his first Grand Prix victory without such background noise.