Red Bull might have finally addressed Zak Brown ‘concern’ after Max Verstappen frustration at the Hungarian GP

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Max Verstappen delivered his slowest performance of the 2025 Formula 1 season by finishing ninth at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Along the way, Red Bull may have realised that they’re going to be in for a long last 10 races of the campaign, given their lack of pace.

Verstappen was nowhere all weekend, and there was little he could do on Sunday, as he battled a poor strategy from his team.

Everyone knows that any hope of the drivers’ championship is gone, but they’ll need to prove to the Dutchman that they can be better for 2026.

Halfway through the season, Verstappen is fighting ‘fundamental issues’ with Red Bull’s car, which has a very narrow setup window.

This time, Red Bull’s ‘wrong’ simulator setup caused Verstappen’s woes, but their operation doesn’t feel as clean and smooth as it used to be anymore. Losing key personnel has hurt them.

READ MORE: Bernie Collins thinks Max Verstappen just said something so ‘demotivating’ to Red Bull staff

Red Bull might have addressed Zak Brown concern after Max Verstappen’s Hungarian Grand Prix frustration

Part of Verstappen’s frustrating Hungarian Grand Prix was spent facing the rear end of ex-teammate and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson. In the past, he would have been let past, as they are owned by Red Bull.

However, he didn’t receive that luxury, which highlights that McLaren boss Zak Brown’s concerns about their relationship from early 2024 may have been addressed.

“This A/B team and co-ownership, which is a whole other level of A/B team, is of big concern to us and the health of the sport and the fairness of the sport,” he told ESPN. “The thing I would like to see us as a sport focus on, and where we sit on the regulation side, is the A/B team co-ownership.

“I believe it’s a serious issue for the fairness of the sport, for the fans. That’s why it’s pretty much not allowed in any other form of major sport.”

Journalist Michael Schmidt points out that in the ‘past’, Lawson might have received a radio message instructing him to let the reigning champion through.

“I think it’s good that Lawson is holding his own against Verstappen for a few laps, especially because Toro Rosso [Racing Bulls] is no longer exposed to the accusation of just being Red Bull’s water carrier,” he said.

“In the past, I think there would have been a radio message and Verstappen would have been [let through], not having gotten past Lawson. So there really were two teams fighting separately for their own interests.”

READ MORE: Max Verstappen’s 10 best Red Bull performances after reaching 200 Grand Prix starts for the team

Why Max Verstappen has confirmed he will stay at Red Bull for 2026

Although he will remain for 2026, Verstappen has issued a warning to Red Bull’s owners and wants to see things improve after a poor 18 months.

Deciding to stay rather than make a shock move to Mercedes was probably an easy decision to make, considering that no one knows how the order will stack up next season.

It also would have been costly to break free from his deal early. Something that would have forced the Silver Arrows to cough up a significant fee.

It seems that Verstappen was right about Mercedes’ 2026 engine all along, and that their advantage may not be as great as has been predicted by some.