© Getty ImagesRace Changing Moments: Hungarian Grand Prix 2023The Team’s highs and lows from round 12 of the 2023 Formula One Season.
TheHungarianGrandPrixisalwaysafunone,andthisyearwasnodifferent.FromtheopeningminutesofFreePracticeOnetherewasalottodigest,here’sarundownofthegoodandthebad…
Checo had an undesirable start to the weekend in Hungary, when on his first push lap of Free Practice One he clipped the grass heading into turn five and lost control of his RB19. He crashed into the barrier and had to retire from the session.
But, a true testament to the talent and skill of this Team, the guys in the garage worked ferociously on Car 11 and he was able to get back out on track for the second session. From there he just kept improving all weekend.
Did Someone Say New Upgrades?© Getty Images
For the first time since the Miami Grand Prix, back in early May, Max had to settle for not being on pole for the start of the race. It made for an extremely exciting Q3. Max set a flying lap time of 1:16.612, which looked good for his sixth pole position in a row, but as the session was coming to an end, Lewis Hamilton put in a fantastic lap himself and pipped Max to pole by just 0.003s which thrilled the entire paddock, hoping for an exciting race between these two great rivals.
Max Ready To Tackle The Hungaroring© Getty Images
With Hamilton on pole and Max on the dirty side of the track, it was going to be interesting to see how the pair would attack the first corner. Max was slightly slower off the mark, but was able to pull level with Hamilton and take the inside line into turn one. Max took the lead away from Hamilton on the exit and was away. After that there was no catching him.
Taking The Lead Into Turn 1© Getty Images
Checo qualified in P8 and still had a fair bit of work to do if he wanted to get on the podium. He started on the hard tyres, so his first stint was always going to be longer than those ahead of him who had all chosen mediums.
After he eventually pitted for mediums, Checo soon overtook Carlos Sainz and a lap later he got in front of George Russell. To place himself in P5.
His second stop was just 1.9s – the fastest of the season - and he came out again in P7, just behind Oscar Piastri. The pair battled for several laps, before on lap 37 he made his move on turn one. The pair were side-by-side until the exit of turn two when Checo got in front and was in P4.
Fighting Our Way Through The field© Getty Images
When Hamilton pitted on lap 50, Checo was in P3 and hunting down Lando Norris for P2. He was eight seconds behind the British driver. He managed to get that down to three seconds, but couldn’t get any closer and crossed the line in P3 – a monumental achievement.
BrokenRecords…AndBrokenTrophies
When Max took the chequered flag, it was his seventh Grand Prix victory in a row and the Team’s 12th. The record for most consecutive wins in a row was 11 before this race which was held by McLaren. They set that record in the 1988 season when they had Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost behind the wheel.
Record Breakers© Oracle Red Bull Racing
Team boss Christian Horner remembers watching McLaren setting that record and knew then what an unbelievable achievement that was. After the race he said: “To think that we have bettered that is testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of the team, from the race track here in Budapest and back at the factory in Milton Keynes. It’s an historic moment and one that means so much, we certainly don’t take this for granted.”
And what goes better with a broken record than a broken trophy. The Hungarian Grand Prix trophies are unique in the way they are made of porcelain and when Lando Norris cracked open his P2 champagne bottle in his unique way by smashing the bottle on the ground, he knocked over Max’s P1 trophy and it smashed. Luckily there are no hard feelings though – what’s a broken trophy when you’ve just broken a record.
We Forgive You Lando© Vladimir Rys