Red Bull hails 'spicy' strategy calls after beating Ferrari, Mercedes in Hungary

The Red Bull boss revealed that, based on pre-race simulations, the team expected to trail both McLaren's Lando Norris and the Ferrari duo. Instead, a combination of aggressive strategy calls and flawless race execution allowed Max Verstappen to secure another podium finish.

Speaking to GPblog and other media in Hungary, Mekies explained how Red Bull's expectations evolved as the race unfolded, with the team taking advantage of key strategic opportunities, including its response to the Virtual Safety Car (VSC).

"I mean, Lando was kind of a no-brainer, but what to do with it? In terms of our pre-race predictions, we felt Lando and the two Ferraris would be out of reach. That's how we felt," Mekies explained.

Mekies also highlighted another decisive moment, when Red Bull chose not to cover Lewis Hamilton's early pit stop, a move that ultimately proved to be the right call.

The Frenchman added that Red Bull's operational standards have steadily improved after a difficult start to the season.

At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen claimed his second consecutive podium and equalled his best result of the 2026 season. The four-time world champion stretched a soft-tyre stint to 28 laps before finishing second behind Norris, while Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli completed the podium.

Amid the flurry of reactions that continues to greet the Hungarian Grand Prix, several outlets have singled out Verstappen and Norris for praise for their performances on the afternoon.

Verstappen was noted for maximising his race weekend and particularly for the masterful overtake he completed on Lewis Hamilton following a sequence of pit stops at Turn 1. Norris, on the other hand, was praised for returning to victory lane following a challenging start to the campaign for the McLaren driver.