Max Verstappen will start eighth in the Hungarian Grand Prix after struggling all weekend with grip issues in his Red Bull. The reigning world champion couldn’t find his usual pace, but according to F1 analyst Peter Windsor, Verstappen’s Dutch determination still managed to shine through in the closing moments of qualifying.
“Red Bull had a really scrappy day,” Windsor explained on his YouTube channel. “But things started to improve as conditions changed and Max could finally do more as a driver.”
Until that point, Verstappen had been fighting his car rather than racing it.
He was essentially “living with everything going on with the car” — from overheating tires to “no grip at the front, no grip at the rear, driving on ice,” as Windsor put it.
The situation improved slightly in the final moments of Q3.
“I think he got a bit more grip when the temperature went down,” Windsor noted.
This small change in conditions made a world of difference for the three-time champion.
“With the crosswinds at certain moments, he had a different car. And he could be Max Verstappen a little bit, just showing what he can do with all those tools he has at his fingertips.”
Despite the disappointing result, Verstappen stayed remarkably calm afterward. In typical Dutch fashion, he told GPblog and other Dutch media outlets that “nothing seemed to work” while maintaining his cool.
Starting from eighth position will make Sunday’s race an uphill battle for the championship leader, who’s accustomed to fighting for pole position.
