Red Bull and Mercedes, top rivals in Constructors' championship, engage in media sparring. Hamilton's scathing comment on Red Bull's DRS advantage draws sharp response from Marko. Hamilton claims pole in Hungary, intensifying the battle. However, success eludes him in Belgium as the rivalry continues.
Helmut Marko responds firmly to Hamilton's jibe about DRS advantage, asserting their car's dominance in terms of tire wear and overall performance. The rivalry intensifies as Verstappen secures top spot in Spa's time charts. Helmut Marko said, “In terms of tire wear and overall performance our car is in a class of its own especially when we have DRS.“
In a surprising twist, Hamilton claims pole position at the Hungaroring, narrowly beating Verstappen by 0.003 seconds. Despite Red Bull's upgraded RB19, Mercedes' W14 dominates in qualifying, leaving many, including Hamilton and his team, questioning the fate of Red Bull's DRS advantage.
Max Verstappen's Path to Victory
Verstappen aims to move forward despite starting from P6, emphasizing the importance of a clean lap to secure a strong position. He trusts the car's capabilities and seeks to replicate their impressive tire preservation if conditions remain dry. Verstappen said, “The car was quick. We knew already over one lap that we were not bad, but also it seemed like in the race we were quite good on keeping the tires alive."