Breaking a six-race streak, a Red Bull car did not start from the pole position this time. Christian Horner’s team was on the hunt for a remarkable 12th consecutive Grand Prix win, a record that has remained untouched since 1988 and they have done it. But according to Lewis Hamilton who bagged the pole position last Sunday at Hungaroring, Red Bull appears to have slowed down.
In an interview on Sky Sports after the Hungarian Qualifying, Hamilton expressed his observations regarding Red Bull’s performance. He highlighted a specific area of concern.“They don’t have the DRS advantage all of a sudden that they used to have. Where did that go? They just had an upgrade, so you would’ve expected them to take another step. We heard two-tenths. For them not to extract that in qualifying is interesting. It’s interesting to see how it’s changed race to race and how we’ve all closed up,” he elaborated.
By raising these questions in the media, Hamilton appears to be pondering what might have caused the shift.
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📰: Max Verstappen's dominant victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix raises concerns for Red Bull's rivals. Helmut Marko warns that they haven't fully exploited their upgraded RB19's potential, even with their 11th win of the season. Lewis Hamilton questions the DRS advantage, but… pic.twitter.com/lUo1Z17tm0
— F1 Naija 🇳🇬 (@f1_naija) July 24, 2023
Red Bull brought their second major upgrade package of the season to the Hungaroring. It featured improvements such as wider sidepods, new-look letterbox inlets, revised front, and rear corners with bigger brake ducts, and a new floor. Coming to the DRS disadvantage Hamilton talked about, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko issued a spine-chilling warning for those celebrating Hamilton’s comments. “We didn’t quite find the right balance during qualifying on Saturday,” the motorsport advisor told Sky Deutschland. “But in the race, we managed to get it right. However, I believe we haven’t fully tapped into the potential of our upgrade yet.“
But Hamilton’s comments only shed light on a genuine question, and the answer might be scary.
Is Lewis Hamilton’s understatement of Red Bull’s supremacy justified?
The 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix proved to be a striking demonstration of Red Bull’s peerless reign in the world of Formula 1. Spearheaded by their ace driver, Max Verstappen, the team executed an awe-inspiring display of racing, clinching their 12th victory in a row.
Throughout the 2023 season, Red Bull’s relentless winning streak serves as a testament to their exceptional racing prowess and strategic brilliance. With their 12th consecutive triumph, they have surpassed the legendary duo of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, who set an 11-win record with McLaren back in 1988. As the season unfolds, both fans and rivals will be closely watching Red Bull, eager to witness if they can maintain their victorious streak and continue rewriting Formula 1 history.
According to Marko, the upcoming track should play to their car’s strengths, particularly with its faster corners. This further enhances their prospects of continued success on the race circuit.
Watch This Story | Helmut Marko blasts Lewis Hamilton for role in Michael Masi sacking
Verstappen’s incredible performance in the RB19 has caught the attention of Marko. He believes that Verstappen will excel even further in the upcoming race in Belgium, considering that the Spa-Francorchamps circuit plays to the RB19’s strengths. It certainly adds an element of anticipation to the upcoming race, knowing that Verstappen and the RB19 might have an advantage on the specific track layout.
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