History was made at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. Max Verstappen’s seventh consecutive Formula One victory has seen Red Bull claim a record-breaking 12 wins in a row, a record that had been held by McLaren since 1988. It is also their 250th podium in Formula One so this day will live long in the memory of everyone associated with the racing team.
It was another outstanding and comfortable drive from Verstappen and Red Bull. It’s more than just a routine for the Dutchman on the circuit now, it’s becoming too easy. Red Bull and Verstappen have Formula One firmly under their thumbs right now with his ninth victory of the campaign. It is now 12 straight wins for the racing team which is undeniably an outstanding accomplishment and the fact it had never been done before shows just how remarkable it is.
It also further signifies their dominance of the sport and that they are nowhere near past their peak. They are putting the other racing teams to shame with how efficient they are, whether it be their tactics, the skills of their engineers, the team’s discipline in the pit lane, and of course the magnificent driving of their dream team of Verstappen and Perez.
Formula One’s poster boy Verstappen continues to shine behind the wheel, but you cannot ignore the role his team-mate Perez plays for the team. The Mexican himself has won two of the 11 Grand Prixs that have taken place this season
Perez personally had an impressive race as he had an interesting tussle in the final stages of the race with Lando Norris for second place. McLaren’s Norris, high on confidence after getting onto the podium at Silverstone earlier in the month, the Briton finished second for the second consecutive race for the first time on record.
At the midway point of the schedule, however, Verstappen and Red Bull are once again running away with their respective championships and their rivals seem unable to stop them from continuing their dominance.
While it is incredible from a sporting perspective to witness this historic moment in motorsport, from a viewing standpoint it is somewhat deflating for fans. One of the biggest pulls of Formula One was its unpredictability and that no longer is the case with the Verstappen/Red Bull double viewed as a foregone conclusion before the engine starts.
As most of the Grand Prixs begin, Verstappen navigates his way into the leading position at the first corner and given his talent, you know that it will be almost impossible for anyone to surpass him on the circuit. Of course it isn’t a problem if you are a Red Bull or Verstappen fan, you’ll never tire of these results.
But it's not hard to understand why wider fans are already getting bored because the season is becoming more and more predictable. And in some way, this historic streak Red Bull have accomplished highlights just how far behind their rivals are presently and how it affects the entertainment value of Formula One.
