Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull won’t win another Formula One race in 2025 after “Nothing Worked” last weekend in Hungary.
Verstappen qualified a season’s worst eighth and scored his worst finish of the year in the ninth, behind Racing bulls from former teammate Liam Lawson and was almost cut by race winner Lando Norris.
The Dutchman won in Suzuka and Imola earlier this year with two standout performances, but has only been on the podium in the last seven rounds.
When asked by the Dutch media in Budapest, whether Red Bull could win a third race this year, he replied, “No, not as things are going right now. That’s how it is. It’s clear.
“There’s nothing I can do about it. I could get angry, but it won’t make the car faster.”
Yuki Tsunoda had another gloomy event with a fifth Q1 relimization of the season and fought for a lonely 17th when his large deficit to Verstappen continued.
Verstappen, who last week confirmed that he will remain with Red Bull in 2026 after speculation about a shock relocation to Mercedes, says Red Bull will “examine” their “strange” weekend.
“It’s been a very difficult weekend. Very low grip and not much we could do out of it,” he said Sky Sports F1.
“It’s very complicated to explain. Nothing was working unfortunately. In spa we had a much more competitive weekend.
“I know we’re not on a par with McLaren, but they’ve also done a good job this year.”
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Verstappen confirms he’s staying at Red Bull next season
Mekies ‘confident’ Hungary was a one -time
A week before the Hungarian Grand Prix won the Verstappen sprint in Belgium when he held McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Norris with a flawless performance.
Spa-Francorchamps have long equal and very few medium-sized to low-speed corners that played in Red Bull’s hands, while Hungarian requires a good direction change and a car that has suffered a little underpin through the long-radius turns.
Red Bull has been strong on tracks that rely on aerodynamics, but have been vulnerable when it comes to circuits that favors good mechanical grip.
The team has also masked their weaknesses by driving a back wing on a low downforce on Verstappen’s car, which helped him pole the position in Silverstone and the Belgian GP Sprint victory. However, it was not possible to run this specification of back wings in Hungary because of the twisted track layout.
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Verstappen ensures victory in the Belgian GP Sprint after holding Oscar Piastri in the last lap
“I don’t think what you’re seeing this weekend represents where the car is on,” said Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies.
“We accept the fact that we are probably not very strong on tracks like here, but what we have seen today was unique.
“If you see, there is no doubt that McLaren is faster, but look at the spa, Max was able to fight determined on Saturday and surprise everyone in the sprint. Let’s see.”
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Verstappen threw a cloth on the field from his Red Bull for an unusual moment during other practices on the Hungarian Grand Prix
The 10 F1 teams are not expected to bring more major upgrades this season as they are turning their attention to the new 2026 cars.
Despite this, Mekies believes that Red Bull can get performance from learning what went wrong in Hungary to extract more from RB21.
“It won’t change the fact that we have a narrow window,” he explained.
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Verstappen responds after qualifying eighths around the Hungarian
“But I seem to be dramatic out of it, I am also quite convinced that with all the tests we have performed in Budapest, including in the race, I am also quite convinced that it will be a time.
“It is true that it was mainly a slow speed and a middle speed. Therefore, it points to more tire use and the tire that was turned on for more than our performance.”
What clues will Red Bull be competitive on?
There will be 10 more rounds after Formula One’s summer vacation with the 2025 season, resuming with Verstappen’s homemade event at Zandvoort.
The high -speed track should actually play to Red Bull’s strengths and provide an opportunity for Verstappen to at least fight for the podium. However, things could become difficult after that.
Italy’s Monza has never been a strong Red Bull track, so Baku and Singapore Street Circuits are dependent on mechanical grip due to the slow speed corners.
Red Bull must be strong again at the orbit of America as it looks like Silverstone and can also be a threat again in Mexico City.
Brasil’s Interlagos has consecutive slow corners in the middle sector, which will be a problem, then Red Bull’s last realistic opportunity to challenge McLaren will probably get on the high-speed Losail International Circuit in Qatar as the final in Abu Dhabi has another winding last sector.
Formula 1 returns after the summer holidays with the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on August 29-31, Live Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports With Now – No Contract, Cancel anytime