Max Verstappen earns fan honors after finishing second at the Madring

Max Verstappen secured second place at the Madring grand prix after fending off a challenge from Lando Norris in the final laps. The Red Bull driver overcame a start that forced him to yield positions to Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton following a chicane violation. Despite the early setback, Verstappen managed his pace and extracted maximum performance from his vehicle to hold his position until the end of the race. Fans voted Verstappen as the driver of the day for the fifth time in 2026, awarding him 23.5% of the total vote. Other notable performances in the poll included Charles Leclerc at 18.3% and Lando Norris at 16.2%. The event also saw Lewis Hamilton record a DNF after encountering brake issues during the race.