Isack Hadjar, driving for Racing Bulls, the sister team of Red Bull, currently ranks 10th in the championship with 37 points. After securing the first podium of his career at Zandvoort—the first for Racing Bulls since their rebranding—the French driver showed promising pace in Practice Session 3 by finishing eighth. However, his qualifying session ended in frustration as he was eliminated in the first round.
Hadjar’s early exit from qualifying marked a surprising turn, especially following his strong practice performances, where he appeared well-positioned to advance further.
Hadjar Accuses Carlos Sainz of Disrupting His Qualifying Lap
After the first qualifying session, Hadjar placed 16th, missing out on Q2 by just eight-tenths of a second. In a post-session interview with Sky Sports F1, Hadjar criticized Williams driver Carlos Sainz for his unusual behavior during Hadjar’s outlap.
“The outlap was a mess, with Carlos [Sainz] – he was playing around a lot. I don’t know why he would go out on track with used tires, to just cruise around and p*** me off. I don’t know what the point was.”
—Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls driver
Hadjar admitted that the disruption contributed to an error on his qualifying lap, breaking a personal streak of clean qualifying runs.
“I ended up making a mistake on my lap, and that was it. It was my first mistake in qualifying in a while – s*** happens.”
—Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls driver
Further, Hadjar alleged that Sainz deliberately hindered his performance by not yielding on track.
“Carlos was playing around, trying to make my life difficult on my outlap, then not really letting me by. I just don’t know what he was doing. He has his reasons – [I’m sure] he knows what he is doing.”
—Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls driver
Racing Bulls Plan Extensive Car Repairs Ahead of Race
Hadjar confirmed to RacingNews365 that despite the disappointing qualifying result, more significant issues with his car have forced the team to make multiple component changes before the race. These adjustments guarantee that he will start from the back of the grid due to regulations penalizing power unit changes.
“Yeah, [we’re] changing everything [in the car].”
—Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls driver
The French driver will commence the race from the pit lane as the number six car undergoes these repairs. Any further modifications that violate parc fermé rules risk even harsher penalties, complicating Hadjar’s race day prospects.
Implications for Hadjar and Racing Bulls Moving Forward
The unexpected obstacles in qualifying and the subsequent technical setbacks cast uncertainty over Hadjar’s ability to capitalize on his growing momentum this season. His accusation towards Carlos Sainz highlights the intense competition and tactical frustrations unfolding on track. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls faces the challenge of optimizing Hadjar’s car performance to recover lost ground during the race in Zandvoort.
With Hadjar’s demonstrated pace in practice sessions, the upcoming race represents a critical opportunity to salvage points despite the penalties. How the team navigates these difficulties could play a crucial role in his continued development and standing within this highly competitive Formula 1 season.
