Budapest, August 1, 2025 — The 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend began with a bizarre and telling moment. During Free Practice 2 on Friday, Max Verstappen shocked fans and officials alike by throwing a towel out of his car mid-lap. The odd incident, which occurred near Turn 3 at the Hungaroring, immediately sparked a steward investigation and later earned Red Bull Racing a formal warning under the FIA’s sporting code.
While the towel itself posed little danger, its presence in the cockpit and Verstappen’s decision to toss it while still on track highlighted a deeper issue: disarray at Red Bull, both mechanically and operationally. Verstappen’s lap times were far off the leaders, and the reigning World Champion didn’t hide his frustration with the car’s balance and overall lack of grip.
The scene unfolded in FP2 when Verstappen slowed slightly, pulled off the racing line, and flung a piece of white cloth from his cockpit. Cameras caught it instantly. Social media erupted. And within minutes, the FIA announced an investigation into whether Red Bull had released a car in an unsafe condition.
According to Verstappen, the towel had been left inside his cockpit by mistake. It’s typically used to wipe sweat after a session but wasn’t removed before he was sent back out. Feeling the towel slide around his seat while driving, Verstappen made the judgment call to dispose of it—safely, in his words—off the racing line. The stewards agreed it wasn’t malicious or dangerous but still determined it qualified as an unsafe release.
Rather than impose a fine or penalty, they issued a warning to Red Bull and reminded all teams that any foreign object in the cockpit—regardless of severity—must be avoided. It was a rare, public lapse for a team that prides itself on meticulous preparation.
Beyond the towel drama, Verstappen’s on-track performance was far from reassuring. In both FP1 and FP2, he complained over team radio that the car was undriveable. The RB21, which has shown flashes of brilliance this season, looked out of sorts on the tight, technical Hungarian circuit.
Verstappen described the car as having “very low grip” and “no balance,” adding that nothing they tried made a difference. His lap times reflected his discontent: he finished ninth in FP1 and a disappointing 14th in FP2, over a second off the pace of the McLarens.
The issue seemed to stem from poor traction out of low-speed corners and difficulty getting tire temperatures into the optimal window—problems that are especially punishing at a track like the Hungaroring, where downforce and mechanical grip are essential.
While Verstappen vented, McLaren surged ahead. Lando Norris topped both sessions, continuing his strong mid-season form. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, was right behind him, keeping the pressure on in the championship standings. As it stands, Piastri leads the title race with 266 points, followed closely by Norris with 250. Verstappen, by contrast, sits at 185 points—a gap that seems to grow each weekend.
McLaren’s car looked dialed in from the start. Engineers nailed the setup for the slower corners and high-downforce demands of the Hungaroring, and both drivers reported excellent balance and confidence under braking. With the team leading both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships heading into the summer break, the Orange wave shows no signs of slowing.
Although the towel incident may seem minor, it reflects a larger theme emerging from Red Bull this season: inconsistency and cracks in the armor. Earlier in the year, similar small but notable mishaps occurred—pit stop miscommunications, setup errors, and now this. With Christian Horner out of the picture and internal restructuring underway, operational sharpness has dipped.
The FIA’s ruling, while lenient, serves as a warning to all teams. According to Article 34.14(c) of the Sporting Regulations, no car may be released in an unsafe condition. While a towel might seem harmless, any object in the cockpit risks distracting or obstructing the driver. A tool or hard object would likely have triggered a harsher penalty.
Red Bull accepted the ruling without appeal, and Verstappen defended his actions as a safety measure. Still, the incident is bound to raise questions about attention to detail at one of F1’s most dominant teams.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, all eyes are on whether Verstappen and Red Bull can bounce back. The Hungaroring is a notoriously difficult track for overtaking, which puts extra emphasis on qualifying position. If Verstappen can’t find grip and pace overnight, he may start the race mired in the midfield—a nightmare scenario on this circuit.
Strategically, teams will likely be aiming for a one-stop race, with soft and medium compounds in play. Tire degradation is moderate here, but maintaining clean air is crucial due to the limited passing zones. That puts pressure on pit wall strategy, as even a minor miscalculation can lock a driver into traffic for dozens of laps.
Verstappen will need more than just a quick setup fix. He’ll need a dose of mental resilience and perhaps some luck. McLaren, meanwhile, looks set to control the race from the front row if their form continues into qualifying. Ferrari and Mercedes aren’t far behind, but their long-run pace suggests they’ll be fighting for the final podium spot, not the win.
If Sunday’s race mirrors Friday’s practice sessions, Red Bull could leave Budapest without a podium—a sentence that would’ve been unthinkable just a season ago.
Friday’s on-track action began with Free Practice 1, where Verstappen managed a modest ninth-fastest time. He struggled with the car’s balance and repeatedly radioed frustrations about rear grip and understeer through sector two. McLaren looked sharp from the start, with Lando Norris leading the session and Oscar Piastri close behind.
Then came Free Practice 2, and with it, the now-famous towel toss. About 20 minutes into the session, Verstappen pulled slightly off line and lobbed the towel from his cockpit. He was visibly unhappy with the car’s feel, and the moment seemed symbolic—tossing away both a literal and metaphorical mess.
After the session, Verstappen and Red Bull representatives were summoned by the stewards. The meeting was brief, with Verstappen explaining the incident and the team accepting responsibility for not removing the towel beforehand.
The stewards issued a warning, noting that although no harm was caused, the rules must be followed strictly to prevent future risks. Other drivers reported no issues, though the incident became the central talking point of the day.
By the time FP2 wrapped, Verstappen was down in 14th—over a second off Norris’ best lap. Yuki Tsunoda, his teammate for this season, managed to place 9th, but even that result was well behind McLaren and Ferrari.
For Verstappen and Red Bull, the Hungarian Grand Prix is about damage control. With the championship slipping away and public scrutiny growing, the team can’t afford another weekend of poor results and media distractions.
For McLaren, this is a chance to solidify dominance. If Norris and Piastri lock out the front row and control the race from the front, it could be a psychological turning point for the championship.
The Hungaroring, often called "Monaco without walls," rewards precision and punishes mistakes. With only one DRS zone and limited overtaking opportunities, qualifying will define much of the race outcome. Setup, pit stop timing, and tire management will be the differentiators on Sunday.
Friday’s towel-toss incident will be remembered more as a symbol than a scandal—a visible sign that all is not right at Red Bull. While the FIA’s response was measured, the underlying message was clear: F1 runs on discipline, detail, and performance. Leave those behind, and even the best teams begin to unravel.
As we head into qualifying and race day, Red Bull must reset, McLaren must stay sharp, and fans can look forward to what could be one of the most strategically demanding races of the season. In the words of Verstappen himself, "It was quite bad today." Sunday is his shot at redemption—or further frustration.
