Key Highlights:
- Isack Hadjar has demanded an immediate clutch redesign from Red Bull after a launch failure dropped him from third to fifth on the opening lap of the United States Grand Prix.
- In addition to mechanical start woes, poor radio coverage caused Hadjar to exit his pitstop on an incorrect engine map, costing him roughly a second per lap on hard tyres.
- The French driver eventually crossed the line in sixth place, while Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen claimed third after noting the car’s overall pace was deficient.
Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar has issued an urgent plea for the team to overhaul its clutch mechanism after a compromised getaway destroyed his podium aspirations at the United States Grand Prix. The French driver had delivered an impressive turnaround following what he termed a “disaster” of a start to the weekend, putting his car third on the grid at the Circuit of the Americas—trailing team-mate Max Verstappen by a mere 0.036 seconds.
However, Hadjar’s strong grid position dissolved almost immediately when the five red lights went out. Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both surged past him before the field exited the opening sequence of corners, relegating him to fifth place. McLaren’s Lando Norris later cleared him as well, leaving Hadjar to take the chequered flag in a frustrating sixth place and well adrift of the rostrum battle he had anticipated when claiming that having two Red Bulls at the sharp end offered “a bit of an advantage”.
Clutch and Communication Issues Plague Austin Race
Following the race, Hadjar reviewed video footage of his launch and voiced intense irritation over the mechanical inconsistency, adamant that driver error played no role in the slow getaway.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after watching a replay of his start, Hadjar insisted he had done nothing wrong.
“You know, I do everything perfectly in terms of procedure, and then I just have clutch over delivery. These things are just out of my control. It’s starting to piss me off, you know.”
The setbacks mounted as the afternoon progressed in Austin. In-car communication broke down during a crucial phase of the race, leading to operational mistakes following his scheduled service.
“And then I have poor radio coverage. I can’t hear what’s happening in the pits. I leave the pits with the wrong map.”
According to Hadjar, running the incorrect engine setting severely hampered his stint on the hard compound tyre, costing him an estimated one second per lap.
Call for an Immediate Technical Redesign
Launch inconsistencies have lingered as an intermittent headache for Red Bull throughout the campaign. When asked if the Milton Keynes-based squad had provided an official explanation for the starting line troubles, Hadjar gave a blunt “No” before calling for fundamental hardware changes.
“It needs a redesign. That’s it. The clutch, it needs a redesign because at the moment it’s too fragile. It’s not coping well with temperatures. Yeah, it’s a real struggle.”
The race at COTA caps off another difficult chapter in a fragmented season for the young driver. Hadjar previously missed three consecutive rounds at Zandvoort, Monza, and Madrid due to a wrist injury sustained during training over the summer break. Upon his return, reliability issues continued to dog him, culminating in a Singapore Grand Prix weekend where he openly lamented “a failure in each session”.
Why This Matters
Despite Hadjar’s turbulent run of misfortune, Red Bull has backed him long-term, having signed him to a contract extension through the end of 2027 prior to his on-track comeback in Azerbaijan. However, his technical complaints shine a spotlight on persistent reliability and operational deficits inside the team as the championship battle intensifies.
Verstappen’s afternoon further underscored Red Bull’s broader performance deficit at the Circuit of the Americas. While the Dutchman managed to secure third place on a two-stop strategy, the result halted his consecutive victory streak at two. Verstappen conceded that Red Bull’s underlying race pace was “not good enough”, acknowledging that his podium finish was aided by the timing of a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). With both cars struggling for outright speed and Hadjar hindered by mechanical fragilities, Red Bull faces escalating pressure to resolve its startline hardware before the season concludes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Isack Hadjar lose positions at the start of the United States Grand Prix?
Hadjar suffered from clutch over-delivery despite following the exact launch procedures from third on the grid. The resulting wheelspin and poor traction allowed Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to pass him on the opening lap.
What operational issues affected Hadjar during his pitstop?
Severe radio communication issues prevented Hadjar from hearing instructions from the pit wall clearly. Consequently, he rejoined the race on the wrong engine map, which cost him roughly one second per lap while running on hard tyres.
What contract status does Hadjar hold with Red Bull?
Prior to his return from a mid-season wrist injury at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Red Bull demonstrated long-term commitment to Hadjar by securing his services with a contract extension running through the end of the 2027 season.
