Despite solid free practice sessions on paper, Max Verstappen believes Red Bull still needs to improve before qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
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The results of the first two free practice sessions might suggest that Red Bull is in contention at the Hungaroring. Second in FP1 and then fourth in FP2, Max Verstappen was indeed regularly at the forefront this Friday.
However, the Dutchman did not leave the circuit with a smile. Behind these encouraging lap times, the quadruple world champion believes that the RB22 still suffers from several flaws that prevent it from fully exploiting its potential.
Red Bull certainly appears much more competitive than last year on this Hungarian track, but Verstappen believes the team will still need to make a step forward before qualifying and the race.
An equilibrium still difficult to find
At the end of the second session, the 28-year-old driver did not hide his dissatisfaction with the behavior of his single-seater.
“The day was a bit difficult. It was complicated to find a good balance on the car.”
This observation contrasts with the time sheets, where Verstappen consistently remained in the leading group. For the Red Bull leader, however, the displayed performances do not yet reflect the true level of competitiveness of the RB22.
The Dutchman notably believes that certain settings still need to be refined to make the single-seater more predictable, both on a fast lap and on longer stints.
A clear priority before qualifying
Verstappen has also identified the main area of work for his engineers before Saturday.
“We need to achieve a smoother lap, also on long runs. So there’s still work to do for tomorrow.”
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According to him, the race simulations are not yet convincing enough. While the speed over one lap seems correct, the car’s behavior over time remains perfectible, an element that could prove decisive on a circuit where tire management is often essential.
The data collected on Friday evening will therefore be valuable in trying to correct these weaknesses before qualifying.
Hadjar confirms Red Bull’s progress
Isack Hadjar’s performances nevertheless confirm that Red Bull seems to have regained competitiveness on this type of circuit. The Frenchman set the fourth fastest time in FP1 before finishing sixth in the second session.
Throughout the day, Hadjar notably found himself on par with George Russell and Mercedes, proving that the hierarchy remains particularly tight on the Hungarian track.
These results contrast with those of the 2025 edition, where Verstappen had been extremely pessimistic after a difficult weekend, going so far as to estimate that he would not win a single race for the rest of the season.
A hierarchy still very open
While Ferrari seems to confirm its excellent form over several Grands Prix, Red Bull intends to remain in the fight for pole position.
Verstappen, however, refuses to draw any conclusions after this first day, aware that several teams still have significant room for improvement thanks to the adjustments that will be made overnight.
The third free practice session, scheduled for Saturday morning, will thus allow verification of whether Red Bull has managed to resolve the balance problems highlighted by its driver before a qualifying session that promises to be particularly competitive.
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