(Motorsport-Total.com) – Isack Hadjar achieved his first podium for Red Bull in Formula 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Frenchman finished third after a difficult race, battling technical problems with his car for much of the race.
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Already during the race, Hadjar made it clear over the radio that he was unhappy with his car’s behavior. After complaining about power loss and engine braking issues on lap 20, he reacted impatiently to his team’s message that the cause was being investigated: “Then look faster!” Shortly after, he warned: “Something is about to explode.”
Even after crossing the finish line, the relief was great. “Oh my God, why does it always have to be so difficult?” radioed the 21-year-old after his third place, which was later confirmed even after an investigation by the race stewards.
Numerous problems complicate the path to the podium
Hadjar subsequently explained that the difficulties were more extensive than was apparent from the outside. “Honestly, I had more problems during the race than people think. It wasn’t pleasant out there,” he reports.
Hadjar further explained: “There were some engine problems, drivability issues, and the car was very difficult to drive. The first start was very good. On the second, I had no power. In the last stint, I also struggled with the engine. But the team reacted very quickly with the necessary adjustments to get me back in the right direction. Overall, it was very exhausting.”
Team Principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the technical difficulties, explaining: “We were already struggling with a number of problems on this car relatively early in the race. We clearly lacked engine power, and that had many effects on energy management and other areas. It was a very difficult race for him, but he still managed to bring home third place.”
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Mekies shows understanding for Hadjar’s radio reactions
Mekies, who already worked with Hadjar during their time together at Racing Bulls, shows understanding for his driver’s emotional radio messages. From his perspective, it is often difficult for a driver in the cockpit to identify the exact cause of a problem.
“For the driver in the car, it’s always very difficult to understand exactly what’s happening,” explains Mekies. “In this case, he couldn’t know how much engine power was actually lost. The effects of this power loss on the entire power unit management are enormous.”
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The team principal shows understanding: “We understand the emotions. He managed to keep the car alive, and the team communicated a series of changes to him to also keep the car alive. Constantly changing settings in Monaco is anything but pleasant, but in the end, it worked. With increasing experience, the intensity of such conversations will surely decrease.”
Setback in practice as a difficult start
The weekend had started anything but ideally for Hadjar. In the first free practice session, he crashed in the swimming pool section.
Despite the difficult start to the Monaco weekend and the technical problems in the race, Hadjar achieved one of his strongest Formula 1 results to date. Third place also marks his first podium for Red Bull and underlines the strong form the Frenchman has shown in recent races.
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