Red Bull chief confirms Max Verstappen boost ahead of Hungarian Grand Prix

F1 champion Max Verstappen is set for further upgrades at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, according to senior Red Bull figure Helmut Marko.

Verstappen won the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix last time out, but had a disappointing Sunday, finishing fourth in the grand prix and leaving Spa 81 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen's fourth-place was particularly disappointing given that the team had introduced new upgrades at the event, although Marko has now revealed that there is more to come.

"Max said that the upgrades brought to Spa were a step forward, but they didn't fix the balance problems he had and I think he's right," he said, as reported by Motorsport.com.

"Fixing the balance seems like a complex exercise, but we're not giving up; we're still working. We'll bring something new to Budapest, too."

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Verstappen trails in drivers' standings

Verstappen's chances of sealing a fifth consecutive drivers' title are dwindling with each passing race. Piastri's biggest challenge over the second half of the campaign will likely come in the form of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, who is just 16 points behind in second.

Verstappen's team, meanwhile, are already out of the constructors' championship race with around half of the seasons still remaining, with McLaren - barring a monumental collapse in performance - set to finish on top for the second time in as many years.

Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, it remains to be seen whether Verstappen's long-term future is with the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

He has been consistently linked with a move away, with Mercedes strong favourites to secure his signature should he opt to seek a new challenge elsewhere.

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