Max Verstappen continued his incredible form in the 2023 season by clinching another commanding victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver started the race by overtaking pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton and never looked back, establishing a comfortable lead and leaving the rest of the field in his wake. Verstappen's lights-to-flag triumph not only extended his winning streak but also increased the gap between him and his teammate Sergio Perez in the drivers' standings.
With this win, Red Bull maintains their perfect winning record for the season, while also setting a new milestone for consecutive race victories. Their remarkable tally of 12 successive wins now surpasses the record of 11 set by McLaren in 1988, with legendary drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at the helm.
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— Racing Union (@TheRacingUnion) July 23, 2023
While Verstappen dominated the race, Lando Norris of McLaren put up a strong fight, finishing in second place. Norris briefly dropped behind his teammate Oscar Piastri but managed to regain his position during the first round of pit stops. Sergio Perez, who opted for an alternate strategy and went long on hard tires, showcased his recovery skills once again, climbing from ninth to secure a podium finish in third place.
Lewis Hamilton, who started from pole position, had a disappointing race as he lost out to Verstappen, Piastri, and Norris in quick succession. Hamilton's race was further compromised when Perez's alternate strategy allowed him to overtake the Mercedes driver. However, Hamilton managed to salvage fourth place with a late move on Australian rookie Oscar Piastri.
Charles Leclerc crossed the finish line in sixth place but dropped to seventh after incurring a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. His Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, finished in eighth place. Aston Martin had a relatively uneventful race, with Fernando Alonso securing ninth place and Lance Stroll finishing one lap down in tenth, earning the team a double points finish.
Max Verstappen wins 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix
Photo by: Red Bull Racing
Alex Albon and Williams, who had been performing well in recent races, had to settle for 11th place this time. Valtteri Bottas, driving for Alfa Romeo, finished in 12th position after a disappointing race following a strong qualifying performance. Zhou Guanyu, who started in fifth place, suffered a slow start and collided with F1 returnee Daniel Ricciardo, triggering a four-car collision that led to both Alpine drivers retiring from the race. Ricciardo managed to recover and finish in 13th place.
Nico Hulkenberg of Haas finished in 14th place, followed by Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri in 15th. Zhou Guanyu's race went from bad to worse as he dropped to 16th place after his early collision. Kevin Magnussen rounded out the finishers in 17th place.
Unfortunately, there were a few retirements during the race. Williams rookie Logan Sargeant spun late in the race and had to retire, while Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly also had to pit early due to significant damage sustained in the chaos caused by Zhou's collision.
Max Verstappen's dominant performance in the Hungarian Grand Prix further solidifies his status as the driver to beat in the 2023 season. With seven consecutive victories under his belt, Verstappen has firmly established himself as the reigning double world champion. Red Bull's record-breaking 12th successive win is a testament to their exceptional performance and sets a new benchmark in Formula 1 history. As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Verstappen and Red Bull to see if they can maintain their remarkable winning streak.
