Max Verstappen has described his 2026 Formula 1 season as “a jungle” after overcoming serious Red Bull handling problems to finish second at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The four-time world champion has struggled to accept both the new regulations and the unpredictable behaviour of the RB22, making his surprise Hungaroring podium even more remarkable.
Max Verstappen’s verdict captures the two major problems that have defined his campaign: a style of energy-managed, Super Mario-like Formula 1 that he openly dislikes and Red Bull’s continuing technical difficulties. Despite those frustrations, Max Verstappen produced another performance beyond the apparent potential of his car in Budapest.
Max Verstappen remains unhappy with the 2026 F1 regulations
Max Verstappen has made no attempt to hide his dislike of Formula 1’s new regulations. At the beginning of the year, the four-time world champion even threatened to retire from a sport he felt he no longer recognised.
His opinion has not changed significantly. After the Austrian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen delivered a characteristically caustic assessment when asked about his battle with Lewis Hamilton: “A duel with Lewis Hamilton? I had to press a button.”
Formula 1 has at least recognised that the new regulations require adjustments, introducing initial corrective measures that are expected to be expanded further in 2027 and 2028. Max Verstappen is not alone in questioning the racing produced by the new cars, with Lewis Hamilton also explaining how battery strategy has affected traditional wheel-to-wheel competition.
Red Bull RB22 balance problems continue in Hungary
Max Verstappen’s frustration with the new generation of Formula 1 cars has been compounded by Red Bull’s technical crisis. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen once again had to manage a difficult car suffering from balance problems and inconsistent behaviour.
His Q3 spin, the third across the previous four race weekends, illustrated the difficulties he has faced. The RB22’s unpredictability has remained a recurring concern, with Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché recently identifying two significant weaknesses Max Verstappen wants addressed.
Max Verstappen nevertheless overcame those limitations to secure an extraordinary second place, producing a memorable overtake on Lewis Hamilton along the way. The result arguably rewarded Max Verstappen’s performance more than the underlying competitiveness of the RB22, but it still gave Red Bull an important podium before the summer break.
Max Verstappen explains surprise Hungarian GP second place
“I was still dealing with the same problems during the race,” Max Verstappen explained. “The car was extremely prone to oversteer and, at one point, the grip suddenly fell away. Passing Lewis made my second stint slightly easier. When the team then fitted the soft tyres, I initially thought it was going to be an incredibly long run, but we made it work.
“I still do not fully understand how we finished second, but I think we performed well as a team. It was a result above our expectations.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix once again demonstrated Max Verstappen’s ability to extract a result even when Red Bull could not provide a stable or consistently competitive car. Managing the soft tyres to the finish was particularly important after Max Verstappen initially doubted whether the compound would last for such a long final stint.
Max Verstappen calls his 2026 F1 season ‘a jungle’
“For me, this season has certainly been a jungle,” Max Verstappen said. “I am simply trying to enjoy it whenever I can. Naturally, when the car is a little easier to drive, you enjoy it more, but most of the time it is not really enjoyable. That has more to do with other things, such as when you are running a little short on battery power.”
Max Verstappen’s Hungarian podium was his fourth of the 2026 season. The result allowed the 2025 championship runner-up to overtake Oscar Piastri and move into sixth place in the Formula 1 driver standings with 109 points, leaving him 19 points behind Lando Norris.
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