The free practice sessions at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix have concluded, and Max Verstappen is in a very bad mood, especially after being summoned by the race stewards. Here are his comments and insights.
During the first free practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Dutch driver Max Verstappen did not shine as expected but still managed to finish in ninth place, just ahead of Yuki Tsunoda who ended up in seventeenth position. However, in the second free practice session (FP2), the Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda recorded a better time than his teammate, Max Verstappen, who finished only in fourteenth place.
This marks the first time this season that the four-time Formula One World Champion has been outperformed by a teammate during a free practice session.
Verstappen complained that his Red Bull RB21 felt completely “undrivable” and likened the experience to “driving on ice” during the final session of the day. He admitted, “I don’t know what is happening. I can’t find the balance,” while running race simulations. For Red Bull Racing, this Friday was just like many others – a day focused on learning and gathering data in free practice, with the goal of bringing out the best during qualifying and the race. However, Verstappen’s performance today appears quite concerning and below expectations.
Moreover, approximately 20 minutes before the end of FP2, Verstappen committed an infraction that led to a stewards’ call after the session. On-board footage showed the four-time world champion throwing an object resembling a cloth out of the cockpit while the car was still moving. It is likely that the cloth had been accidentally left inside the car by the mechanics during a pit stop, and once noticed, Verstappen discarded it without hesitation.
This incident, combined with the challenging performance of the RB21, made Verstappen’s day anything but smooth.
Max Verstappen’s statements
Max Verstappen admitted that the team will have a lot of work ahead to change the car setup from one day to the next, although this is not new for them. The Dutch driver said there is still no clear understanding of why this Friday was so difficult at the Hungaroring circuit.
The four-time world champion explained, “Today was a very tough day. The grip levels felt really low, and the car was not well balanced. So, it’s hard to say exactly what the problem is.”
He added, “Nothing worked today, so this is something we have to investigate overnight. So far, obviously, it hasn’t been our weekend.” The 27-year-old continued, “I am sure we can do better, but today went quite badly, so first we need to understand clearly where we stand and what is causing such a serious problem with the car.”
Verstappen also pointed out the strong pace of the McLaren team, saying, “McLaren seems really in great shape; they are flying. There’s a lot to do if we want to get closer to P2.”
The stewards’ summons
The Red Bull Racing champion was called by the stewards after throwing a cloth out of the cockpit while the car was in motion.
The stewards warned the Austrian team for an unsafe release because the piece of fabric could have interfered with Verstappen’s pedal operation.
The 27-year-old explained, “It was just a cloth that is usually used to wipe the face when coming back in, so it was still in the car when I went out.”
“Instead of risking it flying under my feet, which would be the dangerous part, I drove off the track and got rid of it in the safest way possible. So, I think the stewards understood that,” concluded the four-time world champion.
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