RACE REPORT | F1 Hungary 2023

Max Verstappen secured another stunning win at the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix to confirm his seventh consecutive victory and ninth of the season. His lead at the top of the championship standings has been further extended, moving him closer to winning a third consecutive championship title.

After the race, Verstappen told the media that his achievements were incredible and he hopes the Red Bull team's form will last as long as possible. Lando Norris of McLaren finished second, but the gap to Verstappen was significant at over half a minute. Sergio Pérez, Red Bull's co-driver, moved up from ninth place to third place after starting the race and joined Verstappen and Norris on the podium.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who took pole position in qualifying and holds the Hungaroring record with eight wins, was fourth. Verstappen got ahead of him early on.Verstappen's victory secured him a bonus point for the fastest lap of the race and increased his championship lead over Pérez to a staggering 110 points. Verstappen defended last year's triumph in Hungary and won overall at the Hungaroring for the second time in his career.

The race itself didn't quite live up to expectations, but the key moment was Lewis Hamilton's botched start that sent him from first place to fourth. Verstappen took advantage of the situation and overtook him soon after the start, with McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Norris also getting ahead of him.As the race progressed, the drivers began to change tyres. Pérez gradually worked his way to the front and passed Piastri on lap 47 to secure third place. The marshals investigated whether Pérez had pushed his rival off the track, but in the end no penalty was given.

Piastri then failed to hold fourth place ahead of Hamilton.In the end, Norris defended second place and Hamilton tried to catch Perez but was unable to overtake him at the finish. Norris thus confirmed McLaren's ascendancy, repeating the second place he took at the previous race at Silverstone. Daniel Ricciardo, who returned to F1 racing with the AlphaTauri team, finished 13th. The championship continues next week with the Belgian Grand Prix.