Verstappen on jaw-dropping Hamilton overtake: 'I saw the opportunity. It was my only one'

Speaking immediately after the race, Verstappen reflected on the move that proved pivotal to his afternoon, explaining that he spotted a single opportunity to pass Hamilton and committed to it. The Dutchman added that the Red Bull's strong braking performance played a key role, while stressing that the overtake was fully under control.

Looking back on the race as a whole, Verstappen admitted he did not expect to finish on the podium after the challenges Red Bull faced throughout the weekend. He pointed to his strong start, the decisive pass on Hamilton after the first pit stops, and the way the team managed both the tyres and strategy, saying he was delighted to come away with second place given the circumstances.

The result marked Verstappen's fourth podium of the season, capping off what had been a difficult weekend for Red Bull until Sunday's race. The Dutchman originally qualified sixth before moving up to fourth on the grid following the penalties handed to Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.

At the halfway point of the season, with Formula 1 now heading into its summer break, the four-time world champion sits sixth in the standings on 109 points, 18 adrift of reigning world champion Lando Norris, who claimed his first victory of the season in Hungary.