Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen is hopeful that Red Bull’s new upgrades at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix will produce “extra performance”, as the Dutchman looks to further extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
Verstappen heads to the Hungaroring with a huge 99-point lead in the standings over team-mate Sergio Perez, who’s failed to reach Q3 since the Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen on the other hand, is currently on a run of five consecutive pole positions.
If that wasn’t enough, he’s also on a six-race winning streak, something only four other drivers have ever achieved in the history of Formula 1.
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A third consecutive title is almost guaranteed for the 25-year-old, with him being simply unstoppable.
Further upgrades to the RB19 this weekend could further strengthen his superiority, something which his opponents will be fearful of.
“Hopefully they will do what we expect them to do so we can find extra performance for the upcoming races,” Verstappen said, as reported by RaceFans.net.
“Let’s see where we stand on a track where you run high downforce [set-ups] with relatively low-speed corners.”
He added: “It’s an amazing track to drive and very technical as well. Definitely a place I always look forward to coming back to.”
Verstappen was victorious in Hungary 12 months ago, after recovering from 10th on the grid.
It was an exciting race last season as the weather was very unpredictable; however, the Milton Keynes-based team were perfect once again.
“Last year it was tricky to make the right calls with the incoming rain and colder temperatures,” he recalled, “but as a team we remained calm and made all the right decisions.”
With the Hungaroring being tight and twisty, Red Bull’s straight-line speed advantage won’t be as impactful as usual.
The venue only features two DRS zones, whilst overtaking in general is extremely challenging.
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Whilst it is challenging, Verstappen proved last season that it’s possible.
He’ll be hoping to claim pole position on Saturday to ensure that he can break away from the pack, something which is likely to happen.
A win on Sunday would mark the 44th of his F1 career, and his ninth for 2023.