Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen finished second at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, July 26, 2026, despite driving with a damaged car and persistent handling problems.
The four-time world champion recovered from a difficult qualifying session to climb to third place early in the race.
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He held off Lewis Hamilton and championship leader Kimi Antonelli before benefiting from Oscar Piastri's retirement to match his season-best result.
International media praised Verstappen's performance, particularly his overtake on Hamilton. Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport highlighted the execution of his tactical move.
"It is not only because of the beauty of the overtake on Lewis Hamilton: it is precisely because of the beauty of the idea, combined with the execution," the publication reported.
La Gazzetta dello Sport also emphasized his ability to extract maximum performance from the car under pressure.
"In the end he finishes second with the Red Bull and we repeat: only he knows how he does it," the outlet stated.
German newspaper BILD noted Verstappen's swift response after Ferrari briefly gained an advantage through pit strategy.
"1-0 for Ferrari! But only for one lap.
Then Verstappen catches Hamilton with a sensational overtake and reclaims his position," BILD reported.
French sports daily L'Équipe focused on the significance of the result despite Verstappen not winning a race this season.
"There is still no victory for Max Verstappen this season, but his second place on Sunday in Hungary tasted almost like a win," L'Équipe reported.
