Free Practice 2 at the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen embroiled in a strange yet symbolic moment, as he threw a towel from his cockpit while on track. The FIA investigated and ultimately issued a warning to Red Bull for releasing the car in an unsafe condition, noting the towel had the potential to become lodged in the footwell and interfere with vehicle control. Though not as dangerous as a loose tool, the incident marked another unusual entry in the growing saga of Verstappen’s uneasy weekend, now known to fans as Towelgate.
This wasn’t just about an object. It was a visible sign of how unsettled Verstappen has looked from the start of the weekend. After a frustrating FP1 session where he struggled for balance and was outpaced by Yuki Tsunoda by nearly half a second, the towel throw felt like a visual metaphor, a rare, public display of exasperation from a driver who typically keeps everything clinical.
The Towel Heard Around Sector 1
In a session otherwise lacking headline moments, Verstappen’s towel toss became the defining moment. It was a mundane object that suddenly turned into the most memorable visual of the day, overtaking even Norris brushing the barrier and nearly collecting Piastri. Compared to typical FP2 monotony, the towel became a form of spectacle in its own right, dominating both broadcast attention and online discourse.
Its sheer absurdity made it instantly iconic, the idea that a discarded towel, tossed from a frustrated world champion’s cockpit, could spark an official FIA investigation and become the focal point of the session. In a practice hour where nothing major unfolded on track, the drama unfolded in the most unexpected way: a simple fabric discard turned symbolic flare.
And beyond the moment itself, it quickly turned into a running joke within the sport’s ecosystem, fans imagined the towel becoming a luxury collectible, turning up in F1 Authentics for thousands of euros, or being sliced into one-inch “race-used” squares.
A Warning, Not a Reprimand
Despite the investigation, Verstappen was not penalized directly. Instead, the warning was issued to Red Bull. This wasn’t a driving infraction, so it didn’t trigger a reprimand or penalty points for Verstappen himself.
It joins a long list of procedural warnings that rarely amount to more than a footnote. Still, the stewards’ decision acknowledged that while the towel wasn’t a hard object, it posed enough risk to be worth flagging.
McLaren Leads Again: Top 10 FP2 Standings
Away from cockpit laundry, McLaren looked composed and confident. Lando Norris set the fastest time of the session with a 1:15.624, with teammate Oscar Piastri just behind. Charles Leclerc secured P3, an encouraging sign for Ferrari at a circuit that typically doesn’t flatter their car.
Most surprising was Aston Martin, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finishing P4 and P5, despite a recent string of poor performances. Their pace still raised eyebrows, but Hungary’s high-downforce layout likely masked some of the weaknesses exposed at Spa.
FP2 Top 10 – 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
- Lando Norris – 1:15.624
- Oscar Piastri
- Charles Leclerc
- Lance Stroll
- Fernando Alonso
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Isack Hadjar
- Yuki Tsunoda
- Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes hovered in the lower top ten with Russell, while Verstappen’s Red Bull remained off the pace, his session overshadowed more by the towel than by lap time. Hamilton, now in red, continued to quietly extract solid performance as Ferrari shows signs of improvement.
From Frustration to Folk Legend
Verstappen’s Friday frustrations have been bubbling since FP1. The balance isn’t there, the confidence isn’t there, and his usual edge is dulled. The towel might have been a minor issue in practical terms, but it spoke volumes. In a high-precision sport where every millimeter is measured, that unscripted, unsanctioned action was the most human moment of the day, a reminder that even the best can get fed up.
Still, there’s reason to believe Red Bull and Verstappen will bounce back. Fridays are historically their weakest sessions, often masking pace that appears when it matters. If past patterns hold, Saturday could look very different, with Verstappen right back in the mix.
But until then, Towelgate is the symbol of a rare off-day. A frustrated champion. A simple towel. And the most dramatic thing to happen in FP2.