James Hinchcliffe believes the “Max factor” remains clearly visible in 2026, with Max Verstappen continuing to extract results from a difficult Red Bull RB22 that often appear beyond the car’s natural potential. The former IndyCar driver has placed the four-time Formula 1 world champion among his five best performers of the season alongside Lando Norris, Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto and championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Max Verstappen has secured several podium finishes for Red Bull this season, although he has only been able to fight seriously for victory at the Red Bull Ring. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Dutchman finished second behind Lando Norris, crossing the line around 15 seconds behind the McLaren driver.
Hinchcliffe says Max Verstappen remains difficult to evaluate in 2026
Assessing Verstappen’s campaign, Hinchcliffe admitted that Red Bull’s inconsistent performance has sometimes made it harder to judge exactly how well the 28-year-old is driving.
“It’s true that at times this season it has been more difficult to evaluate Max Verstappen. The RB22 is a difficult car to drive even in the best conditions.”
The characteristics of the Red Bull have created problems for both drivers, although Isack Hadjar’s progress alongside Max Verstappen has provided a considerably stronger internal challenge than several of the Dutchman’s recent team-mates managed.
Hinchcliffe also highlighted Verstappen’s often animated radio messages to the Red Bull pit wall. That side of his season has been increasingly visible when the RB22 has proved difficult to manage, with Max Verstappen’s heated Hungary radio exchanges offering another example of the intensity with which he approaches difficult weekends.
The ‘Max factor’ still makes the difference at Red Bull
Even with Hadjar applying greater pressure than some of Verstappen’s previous team-mates, Hinchcliffe believes the Dutchman’s ability continues to make a decisive difference when it matters most.
“The radio messages going back to the pits are often colourful and animated, although rarely complimentary, and his second-year team-mate is making life more difficult for him than anyone else has managed this decade. But when the decisive moment arrives, the ‘Max factor’ is still absolutely there.”
The comparison between the two Red Bull drivers has become one of the most interesting elements of the team’s 2026 campaign. Hadjar has adapted impressively to what has historically been one of Formula 1’s most demanding seats, but Verstappen continues to hold the upper hand.
“As admirable as the job Hadjar is doing in the toughest seat in Formula 1 is, he has scored only 62% of Verstappen’s points. Both have struggled with the balance of their 2026 car, but, as always, the closer the car gets to the feeling Max prefers, the bigger the gap becomes to the driver in the other car.”
Hungarian Grand Prix highlighted Verstappen’s ability to outperform the car
For Hinchcliffe, the Hungarian Grand Prix provided one of the clearest examples of Verstappen extracting more from the RB22 than might have been expected. Despite McLaren and Lando Norris holding the performance advantage, Verstappen still brought the Red Bull home in second place.
“Some of his performances this year have been typically Verstappen, and Hungary was the clearest indication of how capable he still is of pulling an unexpected result out of the car.”
The result placed Verstappen between race winner Norris and Kimi Antonelli, with the full finishing order available in the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix classification.
Max Verstappen faces a 110-point championship deficit
Despite those standout performances, Verstappen begins the second half of the season facing a considerable challenge in the championship. The Red Bull driver is 110 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the Formula 1 drivers’ standings, leaving him with substantial ground to recover after the summer break.
Hinchcliffe’s assessment nevertheless reflects the distinction between Verstappen’s championship position and his individual performances. The RB22 has not consistently provided him with a car capable of fighting for victories, while Hadjar has offered a stronger internal benchmark, but Hinchcliffe believes Verstappen continues to produce the kind of unexpected results that have defined his strongest Formula 1 seasons.
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