Max Verstappen decision called ‘ridiculous’ by F1 fans after Lewis Hamilton move at the Hungarian Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen recorded his second-lowest finish of the 2025 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix as he could only manage ninth.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown likened Verstappen to Ayrton Senna for his win at Sao Paulo in 2024, ahead of his 200th race for Red Bull at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The four-time champion would have hoped for a competitive weekend against the Woking outfit.

However, it was a tough weekend for Red Bull as Yuki Tsunoda suffered his fourth Q1 exit since joining the team. Verstappen’s data showed a ‘striking’ deficit to Lando Norris as he lacked pace in the RB21.

Verstappen warned Red Bull of a ‘rude awakening’ as he could only manage P8 in qualifying, marking his worst performance of 2025. The Dutchman lost out to Liam Lawson at the start of the race and could not recover, leaving him to settle for ninth.

F1 fans slam ‘ridiculous’ decision to investigate Max Verstappen for Lewis Hamilton move after the Hungarian GP

On lap 29, Verstappen found himself battling Lewis Hamilton, who was also enduring a frustrating afternoon with Ferrari. He was eliminated in Q2 in 12th and struggled to make his way through the field, ultimately finishing where he started.

Verstappen looked to find a way past Hamilton at turn four, when the latter ran wide and relinquished the position. The move was noted by the stewards before being under investigation, with the decision being halted until after the race.

Fans were not impressed on X (formerly Twitter) as they vented their anger towards the stewards over the delayed decision. One said: “Clowns can’t make a decision during the race, ridiculous.”

Another fan echoed: “They want drama, clowns.” One user wrote: “Lol there is no need for any investigation, had it been another driver instead of Max, we would not have any investigation.”

Many fans accused the stewards of deliberately trying to pin something on Verstappen. One said: “Bc they want to see max results on the race and try to ruin it maybe???” while another added: “Because they’re desperate to find something to pin on Max, Lewis hasn’t even Complained about it on the radio.”

Finally, one fan accused the stewards of: “Inventing a new penalty,” as the TV cameras showed there to be no contact between Verstappen and Hamilton. That user was not the only person to hold that opinion.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Former Red Bull engineer Calum Nicholas reacts to Max Verstappen investigation at the Hungarian Grand Pri

Former Red Bull engineer Calum Nicholas shared his thoughts on the incident on social media, telling the stewards to let the drivers race each other.

“Are the stewards about to make a new penalty?! ‘Scaring another driver off the track’. Just let them race, they’re all grown ups ffs,” he wrote.

Verstappen’s P9 means he now sits 97 points behind Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ championship. While he is not mathematically out of the running for the title, the Dutchman has admitted that he does not think he will catch the McLarens.

Bernie Collins saw Red Bull mechanics in disagreement over Verstappen’s car during practice at the Hungaroring. It highlights how much work the team needs to do over the summer break to improve his fortunes.