Pink Bull reveals reason for F1 Hungarian GP meltdown

Ninth place for Max Verstappen from eighth on the grid, and a lapped 18th for Yuki Tsunoda from a pitlane begin, represented a crushing underperformance in Hungary for a group with Pink Bull's bulging trophy cupboard. 

Pink Bull advisor Helmut Marko highlighted technique as one of many components that didn't work out for the group, however mentioned fifth or sixth would nonetheless have been the most effective Verstappen may have anticipated within the Hungarian Grand Prix. 

“One-stop [strategy] would have been higher as a result of the overtaking was actually troublesome,” he informed reporters after the race. 

“So possibly sixth or fifth, however the pace… it's simply humorous, two or three laps, he was doing the identical laps because the leaders – however we imagine we all know what went incorrect. 

“On the primary cease the tyres had been gone, and the second cease we thought we may overtake – however as we noticed for a few laps, sure, the pace was there, however then it was over.”

Max began eighth, misplaced a spot to Liam Lawson on the opening lap, shortly regained it after which handed Lance Stroll for seventh with an opportunist transfer at Flip 6 on the third lap. However he was then caught within the DRS prepare behind Gabriel Bortoleto's Sauber and Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin. 

In the course of the race, Verstappen fulminated in regards to the timing of his first cease on the finish of lap 17, which put him out into visitors – however this was essentially as a result of the queue that had fashioned behind Alonso, stretching all the best way to Tsunoda in P19, started to splinter when Alonso stepped up his tempo by round a second per lap. Some groups broke early for two-stop methods, however the majority directed their drivers to increase their first stints with a view to stopping simply as soon as. 

Verstappen due to this fact turned enmired behind drivers who had been managing their tempo on a monitor the place it's traditionally difficult to overhaul. Crucially, he was behind the opposite Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, who had stopped early to eliminate the gentle tyres on which he'd began. 

It took 4 laps to get by Hulkenberg – with one other decided transfer into Flip 6 – then one other two to move Pierre Gasly's Alpine. Verstappen additionally spent 5 laps harrying Lewis Hamilton for eleventh place, lastly forcing his well past at Flip 4 with a transfer that earned him a referral to the stewards. 

By that time Verstappen had lengthy since used up his new-tyre benefit, though he handed Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar for a web ninth place simply earlier than Hadjar broke for the pits. Max stopped once more for extra hard-compound Pirellis on the finish of lap 48 and he emerged behind Lawson once more – however this time he was unable to make a move stick and crossed the ending line ninth on the street. 

Verstappen mentioned on Saturday, after qualifying, that there was one thing essentially incorrect with the RB21. However Marko claimed it was a tyre challenge – or, extra particularly, the mechanical and aerodynamic configuration of the automobile not working to carry the Pirellis as much as optimum temperature. 

Each Verstappen and Tsunoda had complained all through the weekend of lack of grip. 

“The tyres did not work,” mentioned Marko. “I say it is solely right here, and I do not suppose it would occur once more, if what we imagine was the rationale.” 

When this competition was put to Verstappen himself, he was relatively extra sceptical. 

“I do not know but,” he mentioned. “It's kind of simple to say that, however we'll take a look.”