Dominant Verstappen and Red Bull Racing set new benchmark in F1

Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen continue to set the benchmark and break records this season as their victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix proved an historic one.

The all-conquering McLaren MP4/4 of 1988 won 15 of 16 races, including the first 11 Grand Prix of the season before Williams’ stand-in Jean-Louis Schlesser collided with race leader Ayrton Senna ending their charge to a clean sweep of the season.

The 11-race winning run stood for 35 years until Verstappen’s dominant win in Budapest on Sunday, stretching the Milton Keynes team’s streak to 12 races, starting back in 2022.

Despite qualifying second behind Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, Verstappen got a better start than the seven-time world champion, led into the first corner and never looked back as he gapped the field with ease, winning with a margin of more than half-a-minute to McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Team-mate Sergio Perez fixed some but not all of his qualifying woes as he reached Q3 for the first time in five races, but was only fast enough to start ninth. But his race though the field saw him finish on the podium in third and pick up the Driver of the Day award, rounding out a spectacular day for the team.

Verstappen’s championship lead over Perez now stands at 110 points, while they have more than double the points of rivals Mercedes in the constructor’s championship.

“I think people forget a little bit that to win 12 races in a row is extremely hard but I hope it doesn’t stop there,” Verstappen said. “We have to keep going and I will always try to challenge myself. I had a lot of fun out there today and I was just smiling in the car, it was one of those days where everything just goes perfect.”

Perez said: “ The record of 12 wins in a row is quite incredible. I am really proud of the team - they have made history and it is quite something to have been a part of that.”

Team boss Christian Horner added: “I remember as a boy, watching Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost race with McLaren-Honda and they achieved 11 consecutive victories. I knew then what an incredible achievement that was.

“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.”