Sports Desk, Jul 23 (EFE).- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took another step toward winning a third straight Formula One crown with a comfortable triumph Sunday in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman saw the checkered flag for the seventh consecutive time and the ninth overall this season, while Red Bull celebrated its 12th victory in succession, breaking the record set in 1988 by McLaren.
Joining the 25-year-old on the podium at the Hungaroring were Briton Lando Norris (McLaren), who was also runner-up to Verstappen two weeks ago in the British GP, and Red Bull teammate Sergio “Checo” Perez of Mexico.
Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) had to settle for fourth place after getting off to a poor start that allowed Verstappen, Norris and Australian rookie Oscar Piastri (McLaren) to overtake him on the first lap.
But the British seven-time F1 champion got the better of the youngster from Down Under on Lap 57.
Monaco’s Charles Leclerc finished sixth behind Piastri, but was bumped down to seventh by a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, and the sixth-place points went to Briton George Russell (Mercedes).
Spaniards Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – himself a double F1 champion – took eighth and ninth, respectively.
The other Aston Martin driver, Canadian Lance Stroll, completed the top 10.
Verstappen increased his advantage over Checo in the driver standings to 110 points, while the Mexican is 32 points better than Alonso, who will spend his 42nd birthday next Saturday competing in the sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix.
EFE arh/dr
