Isack Hadjar, the young French–AlgerianFormula 1 driver, experienced an unexpected twist after his remarkable third-place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort when he accidentally broke his custom-made trophy during celebrations. The incident drew swift attention and an extraordinary response thanks to Dutch royalty’s involvement, resulting in a stunning Isack Hadjar trophy replacement that restored the driver’s honor shortly after the event.
Peter Bayer, CEO of Racing Bulls, shared the details of the incident with Sky Sports F1 Germany, describing how the mishap unfolded.
“Isack had placed the trophy on the ground, and I warned him, ‘Pick it up, or it might break!’ He did pick it up, but moments later, it met its unfortunate fate,”
Bayer recounted, mixing disbelief with amusement over the accident.
Prince Bernhard Steps In to Arrange a Replacement Trophy
Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, one of the prominent hosts of the Dutch Grand Prix event, quickly intervened after hearing about the broken trophy. Bayer revealed that the prince contacted the Racing Bullsteam immediately to offer help.
“He contacted us right away and said, ‘We’ll take care of this,’ and just this morning, we received the replacement trophy,”
Bayer explained, emphasizing the generosity and swift action from the royal family.
Alongside the replacement trophy, the original damaged trophies were secured and are now safely stored at Racing Bulls’ operational base.
“He’ll get to take those home today. It’s a lovely little happy ending to a thrilling story,”
Bayer said, marking a positive close to the unexpected twist in Hadjar’s exciting racing moment.
The Significance of Hadjar’s First F1 Podium for Racing Bulls
Bayer reflected on the meaning behind Hadjar’s podium finish, describing it as a milestone for the Racing Bullsteam, which had not seen such success since 2021 at Baku. This victory was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the entire team and drivers.
Image of: Isack Hadjar
“You can see the pure joy on the faces of our drivers and team members celebrating this victory. Our last podium was back in 2021 in Baku—this is no ordinary accomplishment for us. Perhaps a bit of luck was involved—the ‘luck of the brave,’ as they say,”
Bayer reflected, highlighting the hard work and happiness surrounding the achievement.
The excitement was further amplified when F1 legend Jean Todt personally called Bayer to convey his amazement. Todt was reportedly literally jumping up and down in his living room, celebrating the team’s strong showing against leading racers such as Charles Leclerc and George Russell, while closely challenging Max Verstappen’s pace. Bayer summarized the moment with heartfelt optimism:
“This shows that our car had the pace and Isack drove flawlessly. Now, we’re eager to get back on the track and race again—hopefully with just as much success!”
A Memorable Chapter in the High-Stakes World of Formula 1
Isack Hadjar’s journey at the Dutch Grand Prix became more than a celebration of skill and speed; it turned into a compelling narrative of resilience and support in the face of an unexpected setback. The swift intervention by Dutch royalty not only replaced Hadjar’s broken trophy but also underscored the close community and respect within Formula 1. This episode adds a shining moment to Hadjar’s budding career and reinforces the strong ties between racing talent and their supporters, promising a hopeful future for the young driver and the Racing Bullsteam.
