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Max Verstappen stunned by podium finish in Hungary
Despite major car issues and a difficult weekend, Max Verstappen surprisingly secured second place at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-27T06:17:37.000Z - 2 min read
The Hungarian Grand Prix handed Max Verstappen an unexpected second place, a result the Dutchman himself described as a complete surprise. After a weekend filled with frustrations and car issues, Verstappen could hardly believe he was standing on the podium. He later spoke of an 'overachievement' given the circumstances.
His race started with a stroke of luck. Although he qualified sixth, grid penalties for Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton moved him up two spots to P4. At the start, he immediately passed Charles Leclerc. Later in the race, he benefited again when Oscar Piastri was forced to retire, pushing Verstappen further up the field.
Despite these position gains, Verstappen continued to struggle with his car. "I still had the same problems as yesterday," he said after the finish. The Red Bull suffered from severe oversteer and struggled with tyre degradation at crucial moments. During qualifying, he had already spoken frustratedly about a "completely aerodynamically broken" car, a feeling that remained unchanged in the race.
The race at the Hungaroring felt like one of the toughest of the season for the reigning world champion. Managing the balance in every corner demanded supreme concentration. Nevertheless, thanks to a solid first stint made possible in part by his strong start, he managed to lay the foundation for his charge forward.
An undercut temporarily caused a drop back, but a quick pass on Lewis Hamilton made his second stint clearer again. For the final phase of the race, his team opted for soft tyres, a decision Verstappen initially viewed as a gamble. "That's going to be a long drive to the end," he thought at the time, but the strategy proved effective.
After stepping out of his RB22, Verstappen also discovered damage to his car, making his achievement all the more remarkable. He emphasized that the team as a whole had performed strongly, making this unexpected result—his best of the season so far—possible after all.
"How the hell did I end up here?" Verstappen wondered aloud, still shocked by the podium finish. Although Andrea Kimi Antonelli closed in during the closing stages of the race, there ultimately was not enough time to threaten Verstappen. The final result shows that even with a problematic car, the combination of driver and team is capable of extraordinary things.