Max Hungary for change

BUDAPEST • Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has conceded he feels wary about his prospects at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, where Red Bull have not won since 2014 and where he has not finished top of the podium in five attempts.

Despite enjoying a 63-point lead over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, the Dutchman is mindful of his team's poor record at the twisty Hungaroring circuit.

"I really enjoy driving here as it's a bit like driving on a go-kart track and it has a very technical second sector which I like," Verstappen said ahead of tomorrow's race.

"But it's difficult to say how I think we will perform this weekend - it's not our strongest track. Of course, I want a good result so we will try everything we can to win as a team."

Daniel Ricciardo, now with McLaren, was the last Red Bull winner here back in 2014.

Hungary will be the final race before Formula One takes its customary month-long summer break and Verstappen is planning to use the time off to recharge.

"I'm looking forward to the summer break and hopefully, the team can get time to recover so we can make a strong start to the second half of the season," he added.

Leclerc will aim to spoil Verstappen's holiday mood. But, to do so, the Monaco native will first have to "move on" from his disastrous exit in France last Sunday, when the pole-sitter crashed out while comfortably in the lead. It was his second direct error of the championship race - a mistake at the Emilia Romagna GP in April cost him seven points - and that has compounded Ferrari's problems.

The Scuderia have a championship-worthy car and are in the title race for the first time since 2018, yet a combination of reliability issues and mistakes are proving costly.

Another setback tomorrow could be insurmountable but Leclerc has an optimistic outlook, even though, like Verstappen, he has never won in Hungary.

"I did that mistake, it cost me a lot of points and I am aware of it - and that's it. Now, I need to move on, to focus 100 per cent for this weekend and to try to do the best possible to try and win this race," he said.

"Then, I am sure it will go well. There's nothing that will help me by dwelling on my mistake or by staying in the past... I think we'll have a strong car this time."

Drawing inspiration from his maiden Melbourne victory in April, he added: "I think Paul Ricard (France) and Budapest are two tracks where I struggled a bit more in the past, personally.

"But Australia used to be that case too and, in the end, I managed to have a great weekend there. So, I hope that this weekend, I can also turn things around."

A win would send Ferrari into the break in good spirits, team chief Mattia Binotto admitted.

"There's no reason why we can't win the next 10 races," he said. "We must be positive."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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