Max Makes History in Hungary

Max Verstappen achieved his seventh successive victory and claimed Red Bull’s 12th consecutive win, the most consecutive wins for a team in Formula 1 history.  

Red Bull have now won every race since the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. If George Russell and Mercedes hadn’t won last year in São Paulo, Red Bull’s win streak would’ve been an astronomical 22 in a row, double that of McLaren’s 1988 record.  

Over 33 seconds behind the former car #33, Lando Norris was unable to put an end to Verstappen’s pursuit of McLaren’s 11 consecutive race win record. But finishing with back-to-back podiums is surely a consolation for McLaren who have proven their upgrades to be effective at multiple circuits. 

While Red Bull had strong race pace and the largest winning margin so far this season, they failed to top the timesheets in free practice and qualifying – a first for the team in 2023.  

Almost 10 years on from his first win with Mercedes at the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix, it was Lewis Hamilton who pulled together an artful lap and seized pole from Verstappen by only 0.003 seconds. Hamilton is the first driver to claim nine poles at the same track, and this one marks 104 total career poles. Coming after a 33-race wait, it's the end of the longest stretch of Hamilton’s career without taking pole position.  

Despite Hamilton being unable to convert Saturday’s excellent lap into a win, pole position is great progress for Mercedes after a tough start to the season.  

The cycle of upgrades and developments continues to provide excitement. Verstappen may be charging ahead, but several challengers have come forward since the season began, including Aston Martin who have since dropped off, Mercedes, and the resurgent McLaren. In Hungary, only 0.577 seconds separated the top 10 qualifiers, tying with the closest top 10 in history at the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. This fine margin is a signifier of just how easily the pecking order could change in the coming races.