Formula 1
MAX GIVES RED BULL RECORD BREAKING 12TH WIN IN A ROW! CHECO 2.0 MAKES IT BACK TO THE PODIUM AND MERCEDES BEAT BY CUSTOMER MCLAREN WITH ANOTHER GREAT DRIVE FROM LANDO NORRIS.
BUDAPEST (AP) — Max Verstappen needed only a few seconds to stamp his authority on the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday and win his seventh straight race of a crushingly dominant season.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 23: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Third placed Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 23, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) // Getty Images.
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton started from pole position ahead of Verstappen, who muscled him out at the first corner and never looked back. Red Bull’s 12th straight win, including the final race of 2022, broke McLaren’s record for consecutive team wins set in 1988. “People forget how hard it is to win 12 in a row, even when you have the fastest car,” Verstappen said. “Hopefully we can keep this momentum going for a long time Verstappen is cruising toward a third straight F1 title. His ninth victory overall — complete with another bonus point for the fastest lap — means the 25-year-old Dutchman already leads his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez by 110 points after just 11 races.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 23: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Third placed Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 23, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
McLaren driver Lando Norris finished second for the second-straight race and Perez was third for a much-needed second podium in six races.
“If Max retires then maybe (we can win),” Norris joked. “We’re happy with the progress and to be where we are today, fighting for podiums. Our time will come later in the year.”
It’s hard to say how many wins Verstappen will already have if and when that times comes.
Verstappen’s career win total now stands at 44 — the same number as Hamilton’s car.
MAX: I had a lot of fun out there today and I was just smiling in the car, it was one of those days where everything just goes perfect.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 23: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing stops in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 23, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
“The start was very important to me. I wanted to get a good first stint and it meant I was able to look after my tyres well and extend it compared to the others. The car felt really good today and the balance was right with the increase in temperature. We had the struggle over one lap all weekend in qualifying, but I think that means it was the right call for the race. If I had a choice between the two, I would pick my race performance every time but we will always make changes and keep trying to improve the car.
I think people forget a little bit that to win 12 races in a row is extremely hard but I hope it doesn’t stop there. We have to keep going and I will always try to challenge myself. I had a lot of fun out there today and I was just smiling in the car, it was one of those days where everything just goes perfect. Well, almost perfect, I think I will ask McLaren to pay for a new trophy for me! We need to review the footage, like VAR, to see who really broke it because I heard Lando is blaming me.