Where Does the 2024 Hungarian GP Debacle Leave Red Bull in Max Verstappen’s Plans?

Max Verstappen endured a difficult race weekend in Hungary. The Dutchman was unable to challenge for the win because of his car’s inferiority and seemingly lost his nerves during the Grand Prix.

The Hungarian GP weekend started on an alarming note for Verstappen, with Red Bull’s lack of performance visible from the get-go. It was clear that McLaren and Mercedes were faster. Qualifying too, was not optimal with Verstappen managing only the third position.

Once the race began, matters turned worse. The 26-year-old was struggling with understeer on his RB20, and Red Bull’s questionable strategy calls infuriated him further. This also led to a squabble on the team radio with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Watching the Hungarian GP weekend unfold from Verstappen’s perspective was like watching Rome fall. Red Bull attempted to make things right for him on several occasions, but things kept spiraling out of control; it was a sign of internal turmoil or a lack of faith in the team.

Verstappen let down by Red Bull’s upgrades

Reports suggested that Red Bull went on to field a high-downforce spec bodywork at the Hungaroring. They brought an upgrade, which focused on the rear of the RB20.

Unfortunately for the Milton-Keynes-based team, that did not have the desired effect. Technical Director Pierre Wache admitted that they didn’t find the right correlation between simulations and the upgrades they brought to the Hungaroring.

Verstappen, ahead of the race, spoke about expecting big things from the changes Red Bull made to the RB20.

After the Grand Prix, however, the 26-year-old was left unimpressed. He said, “The corners could be better. But the car’s characteristics are still the same. Very slow on the entry, untamable rear end, and a lot of understeer in the corners. I think we overdid it.”

Verstappen got used to driving dominant cars in 2022 and 2023, which is also why the slump in performance is affecting his temper during races.

Cracks develop within Red Bull as radio-bust up highlights latent tensions

Verstappen showcased his frustrations in races leading up to the Hungarian GP too. In the buildup to the race, he remarked that Red Bull had to wake up, to compete with the likes of McLaren and Mercedes.

However, during the Hungarian GP, his problems were seemingly augmented by decisions made on the pit wallwake-up. The strategists made a call, which led to Verstappen getting undercut by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, not once, but twice.

Verstappen gave Lambiase a piece of his mind on the team radio and with each passing lap, his irritation grew. Eventually, it resulted in Verstappen locking up and losing two places when he tried to get past Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages.

Verstappen blamed Red Bull for putting him in that situation. However, when he complained, Lambiase elected to shut down his “childish” radio fights.

Verstappen could be seeking greener pastures after public fallout with Red Bull

All was not well within Red Bull and Verstappen after the Hungarian GP, which was evident by Team Principal Christian Horner’s comments.

Horner suggested that they would look into Verstappen’s sim-racing priorities – something that was pointed out by the media for his lack of composure and irritability. Lack of sleep the night before the Hungarian GP likely contributed to it, according to many.

Verstappen, on the other hand, wants to be with a team that is the fastest on the grid. As things stand, Red Bull is not that team.

Mercedes seems like a good prospect for the Dutchman, with the 2026 regulations on the horizon. Furthermore, Toto Wolff‘s interest in signing Verstappen has always been clear. And after what happened in Hungary, Verstappen could consider shifting to the Brackley-based outfit.