“We should be ahead with the car we have”: Max Verstappen not feeling good despite the Red Bull upgrades in 2023 F1 Hungary GP

Max Verstappen is disappointed with his performance at the 2023 F1 Hungarian GP qualifying despite finishing P2. The Dutchman was unable to improve on his final Q3 run, giving Lewis Hamilton his 104th pole position in the sport.

Verstappen claimed the balance on his upgraded RB19 was off on both Friday and Saturday, with the Dutchman not looking as dominant as he usually has in 2023. Hamilton's latest pole position denied the two-time world champion a sixth consecutive pole position in 2023.

The 25-year-old had a lap deleted in Q2 for failing to stay within the white lines, showing how uncomfortable he was in the RB19 on this occasion. However, despite his woes, the Dutchman managed to finish P2 at the end of qualifying and has a very good chance of taking a seventh consecutive win on Sunday.

Speaking in Parc Ferme after the event, Max Verstappen said about his qualifying:

"I have been struggling all weekend to find a good balance. Every session has been up and down. Today also qualifying was really difficult. Q1, Q2, to feel confident to attack corners. I mean we're still second but we should be ahead with the car we have normally".

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Max Verstappen's perfection draws special praise from Sebastian Vettel

Max Verstappen's near-perfect run in 2023 has drawn praise from four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. The Dutchman won his sixth consecutive race at Silverstone and is now nearly a hundred points ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez in P2.

Sebastian Vettel has defended Max Verstappen's dominance in the sport, claiming that fans should appreciate the Red Bull-Verstappen combination, instead of deeming it "boring."

The Dutchman is well on his way to securing a third consecutive title in the sport, making it almost impossible for anyone else on the grid to put a stop to him. While many have deemed the 25-year-old's dominance in the sport as 'boring', Vettel believes things can go wrong at any minute, citing Sergio Perez as an example.

Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the German said about Max Verstappen and Red Bull:

"From the driver’s point of view, you have to give it to him – [Max is] doing an incredible job. He’s an incredible talent, and he’s not doing any mistakes. I mean, Sergio [Perez] is not a bad driver but do you see how quickly things can go wrong?"

With Lewis Hamilton starting ahead of Verstappen in Hungary on Sunday, it will be interesting to see if the Dutchman's streak is broken.