Key Highlights
- Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar missed out on a podium finish due to late-race battery and grip issues, finishing P5.
- Despite moving forward from a penalised P8 grid slot, Hadjar was overtaken in the closing laps by Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
- While teammate Max Verstappen secured Red Bull and Ford’s first win of the 2026 season, Hadjar described his own outcome as a “disaster.”
Late Battery Deficit Costs Hadjar Podium Position
Isack Hadjar was left bitterly disappointed after a technical setback cost him a top-three finish in the closing stages of the Grand Prix. Starting from a penalised P8 on the grid, the Red Bull driver executed a sharp opening stint by fitting intermediate tyres, immediately capitalizing on rivals who gambled on slick tyres in changeable conditions. Although he initially conceded a place to Liam Lawson, Hadjar swiftly recovered, overtaking the driver who had previously occupied his RB22 seat to claim fourth place by Lap 6.
From fourth position, Hadjar kept tabs on the front-running battle involving his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen alongside Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. However, his pace soon began to drop off dramatically as handling difficulties took hold. Baffled by a sudden loss of performance compared to his earlier weekend form, the French driver expressed his bewilderment at the cockpit balance.
“No, but something was wrong,” Hadjar said. “Because I can’t possibly be a second lap slower now, even compared to a Mercedes, where the whole weekend we were quicker. And now in the race we’re absolutely nowhere. The car was horrible to drive.”
Ferrari Surges as RB22 Gripping Issues Mount
Hadjar’s drop in pace became acutely apparent when his team informed him that Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was closing in rapidly from behind, despite having previously trailed by a massive margin. Reflecting on the exchange, Hadjar remarked: “Yeah, he was 15 seconds behind me, and then in a couple of laps he was [right] behind, when the whole weekend I was pretty fast. Yeah, we need to fix the issue, and come back in Singapore and do better.”
‘It’s a team that takes the initiative’: Zidane Points to PSG as France Inspiration
A late Safety Car intervention offered Hadjar a renewed opportunity. He inherited third place when Russell came to a halt on the circuit, lining up in podium position for the restart. Yet, as the green flags waved, an unexpected electrical deployment issue left the RB22 defenseless along the straights. Both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc quickly bypassed Hadjar, dropping him down to fifth place before the checkered flag.
“Just the last couple of laps, I don’t know how we ended up having no battery,” he said. “So in the straight, I couldn’t defend against the Ferraris, so we lost the podium on something so stupid. I think the power unit was fine. It’s just the first two laps of the restart, I don’t know why we were so down on battery. Then it stabilised itself, and then I was fast again. Otherwise, I would have kept third.”
Beyond the straight-line energy deficit, Hadjar pointed directly to chronic chassis and tyre behavior as the primary handicap throughout the race. “I don’t know, just the grip – even behind the Safety Car, I was feeling that I had no grip, and it was going to be a tough restart for me. So it felt like I was always on the same tyres – I came back on the run one compound – so it’s a joke.”
Why This Matters
The event served as a major milestone for Red Bull Racing and its engine partner Ford, as Max Verstappen secured their first victory of the 2026 campaign. However, the stark performance delta between the two sides of the garage highlights ongoing challenges with the RB22 package under varying race conditions. While Verstappen converted front-running pace into silverware, Hadjar’s sudden grip deficit and energy management anomaly demonstrate that Red Bull still faces reliability and setup hurdles. Addressing these technical setbacks will be crucial as the team turns its attention to the challenging street circuit in Singapore.
Hadjar made no attempt to conceal his frustration at the contrasting fortunes inside the garage, summarizing the afternoon: “It’s not a good day for me. I’m happy for the boys – but yeah, it’s a disaster for me…”
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Isack Hadjar start and finish the race?
Hadjar started from a penalised P8 position on the grid. After climbing as high as third following a late retirement from George Russell, technical setbacks dropped him to a P5 finish.
What specific issues affected Hadjar’s car at the finish?
Hadjar experienced severe chassis grip limitations throughout the race, which were compounded at the final Safety Car restart by a sudden loss of available battery energy across the opening two laps, leaving him unable to defend against overtaking moves from Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Who won the race?
Hadjar’s Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen won the Grand Prix, marking the first victory of the 2026 season for both the Red Bull team and Ford.
