Max Verstappen came to the Hungaroring without high expectations, but he didn’t expect to face such a difficult weekend. The Dutchman sees few bright spots after his eighth place in qualifying in Budapest.
“It hasn’t been going well all weekend,” said the 27-year-old Verstappen to a handful of Dutch journalists at the Hungaroring. “I have no grip. Can’t attack corners at all, can’t get on the gas. Nothing worked.”
Verstappen barely made it to Q3, after which he conceded only three tenths to the surprising polesitter Charles Leclerc in a special final phase. “I didn’t expect him to beat the McLarens either. I’m almost a second behind the whole session and in Q3 it’s suddenly three tenths. That’s very strange,” said Verstappen.
Verstappen made a resigned impression during his press talk. The Red Bull driver has long since given up on the championship. “It doesn’t hurt that much, because I’m not competing for anything anymore. Can I win a race this year? No, I don’t see that happening.”
Yet Verstappen still tried to remain optimistic. “I will do my best every weekend and try to grab a highlight, like last week with the win in the sprint race at Spa. But unfortunately nothing worked this weekend.”
Verstappen has low expectations for the race
Verstappen therefore has little confidence in the race. “Because I’m sliding so much, my tires are deteriorating very quickly. I didn’t expect this to be our best weekend, but also not that it would be so difficult.”
“I’ve been outside the top ten more than in the top ten. That’s not good for us, of course,” continued the four-time world champion, who doesn’t hope it will rain on Sunday. “With the feeling I have in the car now, that wouldn’t be good at all.”
Verstappen, who announced on Thursday that he will also drive for Red Bull next year, seemed to have resigned himself to his situation. “I can’t change anything about it. I can get angry, but that won’t make the car go faster. I’m looking forward to vacation, but that has nothing to do with what happened this weekend.”
Although Verstappen is virtually out of the running for a title defense, he has no intention of taking risks. “That makes no sense if you start eighth. With what attitude will I go out on the track then? Just do my best.”
According to the FIA’s weather station, there is a 40 percent chance of rain during the race on Sunday. The Hungarian Grand Prix starts at 3:00 PM.