Whilst riding a crest of form with Honda power, Max Verstappen has launched a stinging jibe at Red Bull's former engine supplier.
After the team split with Renault for 2019, the Dutchman has won two of the last three grands prix and his first-ever pole position in Hungary.
At the same time, Renault is the first engine manufacturer to claim to have broken through the four-digit horsepower barrier with its 2019 engine.
"If they claim to have 1000 horsepower, they have a really bad car," Verstappen said.
Indeed, both Red Bull-Hondas are in the top six on the Budapest grid, while the highest-placed works Renault is Nico Hulkenberg in eleventh.
"We can't pretend that we are happy with our positions, the speed of the car and our situation," Hulkenberg said.
"We are a factory team," the German said. "On the one hand there have been many incidents, but on the other, the speed of the car and the pace of development leaves much to be desired."
Renault is expected to introduce its C-spec engine at Spa or Monza after the summer break.
"I don't know exactly when we will have that specification," Hulkenberg responded. "I think the final decision has not been made yet, so let's see.
"But after the summer break there are tracks where engine power is important, so an update will come in handy," he added.
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