AUSTIN – Isack Hadjar described his United States Grand Prix weekend as “a disaster,” but starts an incredible third on the grid – cementing a possible Red Bull game plan.
The Frenchman has struggled massively over the course of the weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, failing to get the RB22 hooked in any way, shape or form.
Hadjar entered the weekend playing down the drivability of the car, after Max Verstappen’s two recent wins in the Far East, and it appeared this weekend would see the same disconnect between the two.
But Hadjar pulled out a brilliant lap in Q3 to head the second row of the grid, overturning what has been, by his own admission, a wretched weekend so far.
“I mean, it’s been a disaster of a weekend for me,” he told media, including Motorsport Week, after qualifying.
“I’ve had all my lap times deleted all the time. This morning, I could not complete a single lap on the Soft tyres. So, yeah, I knew there was something in the car because there were times where I could do half a lap and I felt comfortable, but I could never finish it.
“But in that qualifying, the car really came alive a bit more for me. We really dug deep on the set-up. We tried so many things this weekend, and it really paid off. So, on that note, it’s really, really satisfying.”
Isack Hadjar: ‘We’ll try and use’ Red Bull double-up to overhaul Antonelli
Hadjar did, however, still convey a half-emptiness of his glass, rueing his first lap being ruined by the increasing wind.
“But I’m a bit gutted, not too much about the last lap, but more about the first attempt in Q3, because yes, the track was worse on that final lap and it wasn’t a great lap, but it was the same for everyone,” he said.
“On that first lap, I really felt like I lost so much time with that massive tailwind I got, and I felt like there was a bit more today. But yeah, I’m happy with the comeback, let’s say.
Asked whether he could himself win tomorrow, Hadjar agreed, but hinted there could now be a way to overhaul polesitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli with Verstappen.
“Yeah, I mean, also, it’s the two of us, so it’s a bit of an advantage,” he said.
“So we’ll try and use that.”
READ MORE – F1 2026 US Grand Prix – Qualifying Results
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