After Max Verstappen revealed within the paddock on Saturday that Crimson Bull appears to come across new issues each System 1 grand prix weekend, Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix turned out much better than anticipated.
Verstappen secured his fourth podium end of the season on the circuit close to Budapest, though given Crimson Bull’s struggles he by no means thought that might be potential.
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Requested what went by his thoughts on the ultimate lap, the Dutchman laughed: “I used to be identical to, ‘How the hell did I find yourself right here?’ I used to be shocked, I am really nonetheless shocked.”
That’s primarily as a result of the issues from Saturday have been nonetheless current. Throughout qualifying, Verstappen defined that the automotive’s aerodynamic efficiency stored deteriorating all through the session.
Beneath parc ferme circumstances, a flooring vane extension piece – which Laurent Mekies mentioned had been broken – was changed with FIA approval, however that didn’t remedy the problems.
“No, it was precisely the identical. There’s nothing which you can change after qualifying anyway. I knew that it was going to be robust, and it was very robust, truthfully,” the four-time world champion mentioned.
“I feel one of many hardest races of this yr when it comes to how I felt within the automotive, how I needed to handle the stability as nicely from nook to nook. So yeah, to be on the rostrum, I feel was an unimaginable consequence for us.”
Verstappen is pleasantly shocked by the end in Hungary, however says Crimson Bull’s issues are removed from solved
Picture by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
Simply as in qualifying, Verstappen continued to wrestle with oversteer, making the RB22 unpredictable. On Saturday, it even triggered the snap that despatched him spinning on the last nook on the finish of Q3.
“I used to be nonetheless battling the identical issues as yesterday, so the automotive was simply extraordinarily oversteery, simply dragging fairly onerous at one level as nicely,” he mentioned.
“However I do suppose that transferring ahead at first was making our first stint potential. We bought undercut, however then I made the transfer on Lewis, which then I feel made my second stint a little bit bit extra easy.
“Then the group additionally put me on the softs, which initially I used to be like, ‘That is going to be an extended one to the top,’ however we made it work.”
Verstappen described his overtake on Hamilton into Flip 1 because the spotlight of his race: “I knew that that was my solely alternative as nicely, as a result of they [Ferrari] weren’t too dangerous when it comes to tempo. So once I noticed the chance come up, I went for it. It was transfer.”
All of these components mixed produced a greater consequence than Verstappen believes Crimson Bull deserved primarily based on outright tempo.
Verstappen noticed the overtake on Hamilton as an important transfer for his second stint
Picture by: Andy Hone/ LAT Photos through Getty Photos
“General, I nonetheless do not actually perceive how we’re second, however I feel as a group we carried out strongly. I see it as a little bit of an over-performance in comparison with what we anticipated, so I suppose that is factor contemplating how the whole lot felt,” he mentioned.
“And I noticed additionally once I jumped out of the automotive once more, there was harm on the automotive for no matter motive. So it was not made straightforward for us.”
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