After second place in FP1: How the odds look for Verstappen & Co in Hungary

In the first free practice session ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Budapest, both Red Bull Racing cars finished in the top four, with the Austrians narrowly beaten only by Ferrari. That’s actually a good sign for the weekend… isn’t it?

The team’s Technical Director, Pierre Waché, played down expectations on Friday after the FP1 session: “To be honest, we’re not really feeling confident. The competition has changed a great deal since Monaco. And the circuit layout is quite different from Monaco’s.” Isack Hadjar had finished third there (though he has currently lost his podium place because Pierre Gasly has been awarded a penalty – the case is still under review).

New problems on every track

The French engineer points out: “With these new cars, you encounter new problems every time you arrive at a new circuit.” The new regulations are complex and, even after ten races, still feel new – and regularly hold surprises in store for teams and drivers.

The price for 2025?

The team led by Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar is currently only fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. Is Red Bull Racing’s deficit this year down to the 2025 season? Last year, the Austrian team made a leap forward in development during the second half of the season. In the closing stages, Max Verstappen suddenly had a chance of winning the Drivers’ Championship – the team threw everything at it to fight for his fifth consecutive world title. In the end, they fell just two points short. Is the decision to prioritise the development of the 2025 car and, as a result, put the development of the 2026 model on hold, now having an impact?

Waché: “The others have done a good job. And we fought right to the end. I’d say that both McLaren and we are lagging behind a bit because of what we did last year.” McLaren and Red Bull Racing battled it out for the title right to the end in the Verstappen-Norris-Piastri three-way race.

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According to Waché, the objective for the upcoming races is: “I find it hard to say that we’re aiming for wins. We’re trying to improve the car. We have a plan until the end of the year. We’re definitely giving it our all to improve the car as much as possible.”