Key Highlights:
- Isack Hadjar downplayed Red Bull’s recent resurgence, stating the team does not possess the fastest car despite back-to-back victories in Malaysia and Singapore.
- Hadjar identified Ferrari as the outright benchmark at the Singapore Grand Prix, asserting that Max Verstappen’s driving ability made the winning difference.
- McLaren’s Oscar Piastri acknowledged Red Bull’s major aerodynamic and mechanical leap forward while highlighting Ferrari’s dominant cornering pace.
Hadjar Questions Red Bull’s Dominance Despite Verstappen’s Victories
Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar has cast doubt on assertions that his team currently fields the quickest machinery in Formula 1, despite reigning world champion Max Verstappen claiming consecutive victories at the Malaysian and Singapore Grands Prix. While Verstappen capitalized on an extensive upgrade package to return Red Bull to the top step of the podium, Hadjar experienced a contrasting and troubled stretch, marred by operational and mechanical failures that obscured the baseline performance of his challenger.
The Frenchman endured a challenging weekend in Singapore, where relentless technical complications prevented him from taking part in Sprint Qualifying. Power unit modifications subsequently forced him to begin the Grand Prix from the pit lane, though he mounted a spirited recovery drive through the field to secure a single point in tenth position. In spite of Verstappen’s pole position and race victory under the Marina Bay lights, Hadjar firmly rejected the narrative that Red Bull has established clear supremacy as the championship heads into its decisive final rounds.
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, Hadjar offered a candid evaluation of the competitive balance: “No. I don’t think we have the fastest car.
“I think the car is still very hard to drive. In Malaysia it was dominant, but I don’t think in Singapore it was the fastest car. That’s what I believe. I think if you put Max in the Ferrari, he would’ve won the race with more margin – that’s my opinion. In Singapore, I think [Ferrari] was the fastest car.
“[Verstappen] qualified on pole by half a tenth. Ferrari didn’t have new tyres in the race – I mean, not the softs. This has an effect as well. He put all the chances on his side, he made the difference in Q3 and that was enough.”
Looking Ahead to the United States Grand Prix at COTA
Hadjar remains determined to put his difficult Singapore outing behind him as Formula 1 arrives in Austin, Texas. At last year’s United States Grand Prix, the French racer finished in 16th place while driving for Racing Bulls. With the underlying pace of the Red Bull package proving potent, Hadjar is eager for an unhindered weekend that allows him to convert performance into substantial points.
“It was one of those weekends where you get a failure in each session,”
Hadjar reflected. “You learn from it and we just move on. I’m happy to be here in Texas. I like the track and the car – performance-wise – has been working really well these last couple of weekends.
“We’re confident as a team but of course we are aware of the upgrades in the other garages. We’re still down to earth and we still know our weaknesses on the car.
“We’re still working on it. I just want to go out there and have another clean one because the last two weekends have been very frustrating considering the car I’ve been given.”
Rivals Weigh In: Piastri Evaluates the Shifting Formula 1 Hierarchy
Red Bull’s technical updates have not gone unnoticed across the paddock. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri offered his own perspective on the evolving pecking order, confirming that Red Bull’s major development package has firmly reinstated the team among the frontrunners following a challenging mid-season phase.
“I think Red Bull definitely took a pretty big step forward over the last triple header,”
the Australian said. “Whatever upgrades they put on the car in Baku were very strong – obviously they had a double podium there, and then won the next two races with Max.
“It wasn’t a surprise that Ferrari were very strong in Singapore. On the data analysis, they’re always the joint-quickest or outright quickest in basically every corner this year, but they lose on all the straights – whether that’s from drag, from power, I don’t know.
“We certainly expected Ferrari to be the benchmark in Singapore, but we’ve expected them to be the benchmark at other circuits and it’s not turned out to be the case. I think they’re very strong.
“Clearly the Red Bull was very strong. Both are stronger than us, for sure. I think over the last few weeks, Red Bull have definitely become the most consistently quick car, but I think each weekend the challenges are rotating.”
Why This Matters
The divergence in driver opinions underlines the exceptionally tight margins at the front of the Formula 1 grid as teams navigate the closing stages of the season. Red Bull’s development push, initiated around the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, successfully reversed McLaren’s earlier dominance by delivering consecutive race wins for Max Verstappen. However, Isack Hadjar’s assessment reveals that the car remains mechanically demanding on corner entry and over bumpy street surfaces compared to the inherently balanced Ferrari.
With the Circuit of The Americas offering a contrasting test of high-speed changes of direction, long straights, and technical sectors, the upcoming event in Austin will serve as a definitive barometer of whether Red Bull holds an outright performance advantage across diverse circuit layouts or remains vulnerable to specific operational and aerodynamic traits of rival packages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Isack Hadjar believe Ferrari was faster than Red Bull in Singapore?
Hadjar argued that Ferrari possessed the superior overall car package around Marina Bay, pointing out that Max Verstappen secured pole position by just half a tenth of a second and benefited from tire allocation differences during the race. Hadjar asserted that Verstappen’s execution in qualifying and race craft masked Ferrari’s underlying pace advantage.
What caused Isack Hadjar’s poor starting position at the Singapore Grand Prix?
Hadjar suffered a string of technical issues across the weekend sessions, which sidelined him during Sprint Qualifying. Consequently, the team was forced to replace power unit components on his car, triggering a regulatory grid penalty that relegated him to a pit lane start before he recovered to finish tenth.
What is Oscar Piastri’s view on the current Formula 1 pecking order?
Piastri acknowledged that Red Bull’s upgrades, first introduced in Baku, have made them the most consistently fast car in recent weeks. However, he also emphasized that Ferrari remains exceptionally competitive through corners, noting that track characteristics continue to rotate advantages among the top teams.
