Max Verstappen manages to keep his emotions in check, as Mercedes strikes for the second successive race.

Those sections of the media hoping for another high-profile clash involving Mercedes and Red Bull at the Hungaroring's notorious first corner, were not to be disappointed.

However, rather than Max Verstappen issuing 'payback' for Silverstone, the world watched on open-mouthed as Valtteri Bottas got ahead of himself and proceeded to take out not one, but both Red Bulls, in addition to Lando Norris.

Though, unlike his teammate, Verstappen was able to take the restart, such was the damage to his car he was never going to be competitive.

Meanwhile, Lewis 'Mr Teflon' Hamilton, despite dropping to last shortly after the restart, fought his way back to third, and, adding insult to Red Bull injury, was promoted to second following Sebastian Vettel's disqualification.

"Again taken out by a Mercedes," sighed Verstappen at race end, "that's not what you want.

"You could see Valtteri just completely misses his braking point and causes a big crash," he added.

"From then on, I was missing the whole side of my car and the whole barge board area, the floor was damaged as well so it was almost impossible to drive to be honest. I still tried my very best and I scored one point, so it's at least something, but it's of course not what we want."

As a result, Verstappen has lost the lead in the championship, having scored 5 points from the last two races. Furthermore, having taken on a new engine ahead of the race he faces the threat of grid penalties later in the season.

"These moments, it doesn't do anything to me, it's just disappointing," he said. "I know that when we go again, I will be there again, I'll try my very best and I hope my car's going to be competitive. But we'll find out.

"It's a lot of freak moments at the moment that cost us a lot of points," he added. "They're of course very quick, but we will focus on ourselves, we keep pushing and we'll see where we end up."

Check out our Sunday gallery from the Hungaroring, here.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 06/08/2021 14:00

"@ronniecabers re your comment. No, I'm fully aware of that agreement but that was then and this is now. We now have a cost cap which alters the status quo. I don't think that there will many changes in the short term however with the current rate of incidents occasioning more than cursory amounts of damage, we are looking as serious costs being incurred. I do believe that there will be, in the long run, certain accomodations introduced. What they are is anyones guess."

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2. Posted by ronniecabers, 06/08/2021 7:01

"@aroutis and @kenji , you seem to be missing the small fact that ALL the teams agreed several years ago that stewards aren't allowed to take into account damage caused or how it effects the WDC or constructor championship , therefore the resultant damage or points loss is irrelevant.
You can clearly see Bottas went too deep , braked too late. Stroll , well not sure what he was doing lol"

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3. Posted by Pavlo, 03/08/2021 22:43

"@kdxrider - Norris was in front of Bottas way before the corner, so if you assume Norris was breaking too late, this means Bottas was twice too late.
Norris could be accused only on the opposite: breaking too early... but again, being behind several cars in the first corner Bottas had to expect cars in front to brake slightly earlier... even on the dry track, but even more on the wet."

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4. Posted by Pavlo, 03/08/2021 22:35

"@kenji - I think Stroll made essentially the same mistake as Bottas, he just had a bit more space to avoid hitting someone in the back - which is a very natural reaction of a driver, but sadly in the first corner inevitably results in crashing into someone else with bigger speed difference.
So for the same mistake I think he should have been given same 6 points. "Driver mistake" without intent should not immediately be penalized with a race ban, but repeating it, I think, should."

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5. Posted by kdxrider, 03/08/2021 17:06

"I think what's been overlooked here is Norris' role in the accident. I mean he dive-bombs into the corner after overtaking Bottas and after reading a number of other drivers comments on just how slippery the track was on the right side there, would Norris actually have made the corner without the added punt by Bottas."

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6. Posted by kenji, 03/08/2021 13:49

"@ Chicken Farmer....have you read Leclerc's latest comments re the Stroll incident?"

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7. Posted by kenji, 03/08/2021 11:06

"@ aroutis...I tend to agree with your analysis. 5 place grid drop at Spa is a very bad joke IMO. Considering the level of damage plus the re arranging of the WC title points is too great to simply get a slap on the wrist. Totally unacceptable on all counts."

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8. Posted by aroutis, 03/08/2021 4:36

"5 places down for those two drivers are a joke considering the results of their actions.
At least 1 race ban should be what they should get.
"

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9. Posted by kenji, 03/08/2021 1:10

"@ Chicken FarmerF1....I have watched the start over and over and i'm still of the opinion that Stroll saw an opening and dived in before realising that it was a dumb move. He went off track and instead of staying off track he cut back into Leclerc and subsequently Leclerc took Ricciardo out as well. I was totally disappointed by this as two of the drivers that I both like and enjoy watching had their races ruined. They were both up for great results had they made their way through the Mercedes inspired melee...."

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10. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 02/08/2021 18:27

"I don’t think Stroll was trying to overtake. I think he was trying to avoid hitting Ocon from behind and aimed for an opening. He completely cut the corner and Leclerc was just unlucky to be in the way. Still some bone-headed driving to be sure."

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11. Posted by kenji, 02/08/2021 14:39

"@ Pavlo...Whilst the majorityof the comments are aimed at the Bottas fiasco don't forget the idiotic attempt by Stroll to take Leclerc! What a stupid move that was. He not only took out the Ferrari but he ruined Ricciardo's brilliant start and caused serious damage to the McLaren. Daniel was in second place ATPIT and he would've probably finished up with a decent podium. These '1st lap nutcases' as Mark Webber once said, need to be penalised very very heavily. If they leave the track and trash their own car that's fine but to totally ruin others races should be treated more seriously.Maybe a race ban would be in order. Only then will they learn to be a bit more mature in their decision making."

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12. Posted by mickl, 02/08/2021 14:38

"Didn't Stroll take out Leclerc? Bottas hit Norris which went into Verstappen and Bottas' spinning hit Perez."

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13. Posted by Pavlo, 02/08/2021 12:25

"@Lapps - I think the proper penalty should include more "points".
This was clearly a "driver mistake", and in sport we have to accept mistakes. This is what distinguishes F1 from driving on the public road - the accepted risk. Like Fernando and Lewis both were well aware that with high probability they could have finished somewhere very close to Valtteri. Both did several times in their career.

But yes, the action from Bottas looks way more severe than what Norris or Perez did in Austria, so I would understand if he would get 6 or 7 points, or Perez getting just 1. Then automatically small and rare offences would be tolerated, but repeated destroying other cars would mean a race ban. But now Bottas can repeat this mess 3 times and still not get a race ban, which looks a bit ridiculous."

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14. Posted by Lapps, 02/08/2021 10:51

"Any chance we can have some rational discussion as to whether the punishment fits the crime? Two drivers caused four other drivers to effectively miss a race. Let’s not worry about which teams are involved. Would it be more equitable for them to have to miss a race themselves, or perhaps start one lap down at the next event?

"

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15. Posted by Editor, 02/08/2021 9:13

"@ Mad Matt

Thank you.

The Author"

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"Again taken out by a Mercedes," sighs Verstappen

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