Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton’s charge to victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix demonstrated that Mercedes still boasts the “dominant” 2019 Formula ✅1 car.

Having switched to a two-stopper following an inspired strategy call by Mercedes, Hamilton found himself 20 seconds behind the Red Bull d💝river with 20 laps remaining.

The reigning world champion made the most of his fresh Medium tyres to oblite🦂rate Verstappen’s advantage, before 🔯sweeping past to snatch the lead at Turn 1 with three laps to go.

"I think you can see how much margin they still have when they really need to push🐠," Verstappen said following the race.

"Today Lewis was on fire as well, but you see, once he really has to🦄 go for it, you can 𝕴see that that car is still the dominant car.

"It's as simple as that. Whereas in💜 some rac🎃es it's maybe not as necessary [to go flat-out].

"Of course they had their issues in Austria with overheating so [they] push. In Hockenheim it was tricky conditions as well, so [you] can't really drive t♏o the limit of the car.

"But here today I think he had to go for it, flatout, because I was also pushing flatout, and you can see what they are capable oꦓf as a team.”

Red Bull teamꦯ principal Christian Horner conceded that Mercedes was a “little bit quicker” throughout Sunday’s race but did not immediately understand its rivals pace advantage.

Asked why he felt Mercede🦩s was quicker in race trim - usually an area of strength for Red Bull - Horner replied: “I don’t know to be honest. That’s something for us to analyse.

“They were able to follow very closely and push quite hard, and obviously the two guys were so far ahea🍬d of the rest of the f🥃ield. There are lessons to learn.”