Isack Hadjar has revealed he is reassured by Red Bull’s competitive struggles during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s bittersweet weekend at the Hungaroring started with complaints from both drivers in qualifying over the performance of the RB22 and ended with a podium for Max Verstappen on race day.
The same could not be said for the other side of the garage, with Hadjar, as although he qualified just two places behind his illustrious teammate, his race ended in a more frustrating way.
He spent the race as wingman to Verstappen, attempting to hold up the likes of Lewis Hamilton, en-route to sixth place at the chequered flag.
It marked his seventh consecutive top-six finish, continuing a run of consistency that has become a hallmark of his rookie season, even as the wider mood within the team remained sour.
The first half of the season has ended without Red Bull taking a single victory; the team now on track for the unenviable stat of its first winless season since 2015.
But Hadjar has revealed he takes solace and is reassured that Verstappen is sharing the same car balance and performance issues as he is, citing their closely matched qualifying performances as evidence.
“Yeah, which is reassuring, let’s say, he said.
“Otherwise, I would be asking myself questions.
“So that’s good news. I think it also shows why the gap in qualifying is always that close.”
Isack Hadjar “needs an answer” on Red Bull pace in Hungary
The opening stint in Hungary proved to be particularly difficult for the Frenchman, as he failed to make meaningful progress forward, an anomaly he is demanding answers for.
“I just need an answer on that first stint, because for me, that was really frustrating me. Everything else this weekend, I’ve been doing well.”
Hadjar was also frustrated by his pit strategy which he argues compromised his race, also delivering a blunt view on being asked to try and slow down the leaders.
“It was very annoying. It’s a bit either early or very late, and we pitted the worst lap, so [I’m] not very happy. And I don’t like interrupting the leaders’ race. I know why we are doing that, but I like to avoid these situations.”
Hadjar’s frustrations indicate a driver growing increasingly assured in his own judgement, even as the team around him continues to search for consistent answers on car performance.
Long gone are the days when the second Red Bull seat was purely a tool to be deployed in service of Verstappen’s title bids; Hadjar’s willingness to publicly question strategy calls underlines how far his standing within the team has grown.
With the summer break now offering a pause for reflection, Red Bull face a pivotal second half of the season if they are to salvage their first victory of the year and avoid a winless campaign that would mark a stark departure from their recent dominance.
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