International media lambast Verstappen: 'Max can only complain well'

Italy

From La Gazzetta dello Sport, Verstappen gets a 5 for his performance at the Hungaroring. "Max is faced with a choice. If he believes Formula 1 is a team sport, you also have to play together as a team. He could still have finished third, but his nervousness caused him to finish two more places lower. Moreover, he was scolded by the team [over the team radio]: 'Don't be a baby'."

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, received plenty of compliments from the pink Italian sports newspaper with a 9.5. "He got the most out of the car, making him the best driver of the day. He defended and triumphed over Verstappen. He was superior on the undercut. Who will be on the podium for the 200th time?"

France

Back to Verstappen, who also did not fare well in France. L'Equipe - which is usually particularly critical at all - gives the grade 3 to Verstappen. "He was grumbling throughout the race and caused irritation to many people. Including his quiet engineer, who eventually thought it was enough. The Red Bull is no longer the best bolide in the field. And serious wasps are now swarming around Max Verstappen. The Dutchman is under attack from all sides and defends himself as best he can. In every possible way. And what does it matter if that is against the rules?", the newspaper concludes cynically.

Spain

Marca concludes that "fairy tales once again do not last forever". "And when you are no longer the prince of the story, things happen to you. Red Bull is not the dominant car, Max is not the dominant driver and the messages on the radio are no longer those of singing 'Viva Las Vegas'. In fact, you can see him failing. Today, he blamed the car for not braking or steering, but he drove into Hamilton himself. And he passed Norris himself at the start via the outside His previous tricks are no longer useful and his nerves are audible on the radio."

Verstappen's lead in the drivers' standings is still large over Norris at 76 points. "He should feel more or less comfortable, but nerves are overpowering him, even against his engineer, team, etc., Red Bull did not even give him any more instructions on how to manage the tyres in the last stint. His final attack, hitting Hamilton, was unexpected and even unnecessary as he loses more points."

Belgium

The Latest News expects an exciting second half of the season. "Were the McLarens untouchable, Red Bull's major update did little to help. Verstappen, only fifth, then sat steering for seventy laps in frustration, fussing over the board radio that it was all not pretty, thinking everything was bad. The car, the strategy. On several occasions, the director had to put the familiar beep on top of one f-word or another. Whether the relationship between Max and his team crumbles in Budapest? We will see at Spa-Francorchamps, later this week."

England

Sky Sports also paid extensive attention to the 26-year-old Dutchman's angry board radio. "Max Verstappen refused to apologise for his language over team radio during the Hungarian Grand Prix, before shaking off outside criticism with another post-race tirade. Verstappen repeatedly used colourful language to criticise the RB20's performance. The very car that helped him build a 76-point lead. Then he also complained about the strategic choices made by Red Bull pit wall during the race."

The medium continued: "After Verstappen won four of the first five races of the season, it seemed he would continue his remarkable dominance in the sport over the past two seasons, but instead he was dragged into an exciting battle. His failure to win on Sunday made it the first time since the closing stages of his title battle with Hamilton in 2021 that he failed to take a win at three consecutive races. And that while the run of two races without a win was his first since July 2022."

Germany

Bild also makes another appearance: "Frustration for the world champion. Max Verstappen complains from Turn 1 - stupid opponent, stupid FIA, stupid tyres, stupid brakes, stupid strategy - everything stupid! Verstappen is only good at complaining! The negative highlight: after Verstappen had been complaining all race ("s***ty strategy"), on lap 63 he ran into Lewis Hamilton - and then complained about his Mercedes colleague. Even Verstappen's race engineer had had enough."

This article was written in collaboration with Ben Stevens.