MAX VERSTAPPEN experienced ANOTHER major championship setback after a Mercedes driver caused a Lap 1 crash for the second weekend in a row.
Valtteri Bottas struggled to get going on a wet start at Hungaroring, with the entire pack making the late change to intermediate tyres amid a downpour as the grid formed.
Lando Norris jumped the Finn with an excellent getaway yet was bumped from behind by the clumsy Bottas for his troubles.
That sent his McLaren into Verstappen’s Red Bull, causing damage to both.
But Bottas’ Merc had lost a wheel as it then went into Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, taking both out of the race.
Verstappen was able to crawl back to the pits in 13th with the race red-flagged due to hundreds of pieces of debris strewn across the track.
McLaren retired Norris during the stoppage.
After being pinned for the Silverstone crash a fortnight ago, Lewis Hamilton managed to totally avoid the carnage and raced off into the distance, unscathed.
COMPETITION: SPOT THE BALL TO WIN A CAR AND CASH
Also out in the madness were Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll, the Aston Martin driver arriving too hot into Turn 1 and collecting the Ferrari and Daniel Ricciardo – who managed to race on.
LeClerc wasn’t best pleased, tweeting after: “Nice bowling game. So frustrating.”
But there were winners as the race was paused on Sunday afternoon, with Esteban Ocon second and Sebastian Vettel third as it restarted.
Nicholas Latifi and Mick Schumacher were also in the points positions having never won an F1 point.
