Isack Hadjar Reveals Biggest Surprise About Risky F1 Strategy

Isack Hadjar’s rookie season with Racing Bulls has been defined by qualifying speed and resilience, putting him firmly on the radar for a Red Bull promotion next year.

The Frenchman graduated after finishing runner-up in the 2024 Formula 2 championship, and suffered an immediate setback when a formation-lap spin ended his Australian Grand Prix debut.

He reset quickly, delivering consistent pace through the year and converting it into a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix in August.

Hadjar identifies qualifying as the biggest positive surprise. His single-lap execution repeatedly exceeds expectations, often extracting the RB car’s peak grip window when track evolution is at its most volatile.

That approach carries risk, but the reward profile is clear. He leads teammate Liam Lawson 13–5 in qualifying head-to-head, shaping weekends by starting higher and controlling strategy options.

The aggressive push in Q2 and Q3 occasionally backfires, yet the net gain from better grid positions has outweighed the misses. It reflects confidence and strong rotation on corner entry.

Race execution has improved in parallel. After the Melbourne error, he has tightened out-lap preparation, reduced build-up variance, and shown better tyre phase management across stints.

Within the Red Bull ecosystem, such progress matters. Racing Bulls exists to surface high-ceiling talent, and Hadjar’s trendline strengthens his case amid ongoing evaluations for 2026 and, potentially, sooner.

Under the cost cap and ATR, Racing Bulls relies on consistent driver feedback to extract marginal gains. Hadjar’s clarity on balance shifts and surface sensitivity complements the team’s upgrade cadence.

Speculation about a Red Bull seat inevitably follows. Any promotion will hinge on whether this qualifying edge translates more consistently into race-day conversion over the final flyaways.

For now, Hadjar’s balance of boldness and discipline stands out among rookies. If he sustains the qualifying baseline while trimming errors, he becomes a credible option for the senior team.

The remaining rounds are an opportunity to prove the pace is repeatable across circuit types and temperature windows, and to close the season with a compelling, data-backed case.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.