Red Bull secured second place for Max Verstappen in the Hungarian Grand Prix through an unexpected soft-tyre strategy that caught Ferrari off guard. Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur acknowledged the surprise after both of his drivers finished off the podium. The result came despite a challenging weekend for the Red Bull team.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies credited his strategy team for several bold calls, including keeping Verstappen out during a virtual safety car on lap 56. Verstappen completed a 29-lap stint on soft tyres to hold second behind Lando Norris. He expressed shock at the decision, noting he initially questioned how long the tyres would last.
Ferrari started both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on soft tyres but gained no early advantage. Hamilton pitted after 13 laps and Leclerc after 16, moving to hard tyres that proved slow. Both drivers later switched again, but Hamilton received a five-second pitlane speeding penalty and finished fifth behind Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli.
Vasseur said the team did not anticipate Verstappen's long soft-tyre stint and adjusted too late under the virtual safety car. He noted Norris had been the quickest driver overall. The outcome left Ferrari reflecting on missed opportunities from qualifying and race execution.
