The reigning Formula 1 champion, Max Verstappen, faced an unexpected and deeply challenging qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, resulting in a surprising eighth-place start for Sunday’s race at the Hungaroring circuit.

This performance marks a significant and concerning regression for Red Bull Racing compared to their dominant showing at last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, where Verstappen secured a much stronger third-place qualifying position.

The struggles were widespread across the team, with teammate Sergio Perez failing to advance beyond Q1, highlighting a problematic weekend for Red Bull as a whole and raising questions about their F1 championship momentum.

Verstappen himself expressed profound frustration, lamenting that “nothing seems to work” for the car this weekend, and openly admitting the team’s inability to swiftly identify or rectify the underlying performance issues.

Despite this setback, which saw several rival teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin outperform him in F1 qualifying, Verstappen remains third in the overall F1 season standings, albeit 81 points behind the current leader.

While the 2025 F1 season has presented more obstacles than his previous record-breaking campaigns, the Dutch driver has still showcased his formidable talent, notably securing a sprint race victory just last weekend in Belgium.

Looking ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix race itself, Verstappen acknowledged that other top drivers are also starting out of their usual positions, suggesting that a challenging but potentially rewarding climb through the field could still be on the cards for Red Bull Racing.