Red Bull Reprimanded for Unsafe Release After Verstappen Tosses Towel Hungary Practice

During the second practice session at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen threw a face towel out of his Red Bull car after it accidentally remained in the cockpit when the car was released from the garage. Verstappen explained that the towel had slipped beside his seat and could have interfered with his control of the car if left inside. The stewards reviewed the incident and concluded that while the towel posed less risk than a hard object, its presence meant Red Bull had released the car in an unsafe condition. Verstappen attempted to discard the towel safely away from the racing line, but it remained on the track until the session ended. As a result, Red Bull received a formal warning from the stewards, but Verstappen avoided any personal penalty. The incident highlighted a rare but notable safety oversight during practice, with Verstappen and the team acknowledging the need to prevent such occurrences in the future.