Isack Hadjar calls Singapore sprint qualifying ‘very poor’ after struggling with car balance
Hadjar labels his Singapore sprint qualifying as ‘very poor’, saying the car felt undrivable – a stark contrast to Verstappen’s pole.
Isack Hadjar, the rookie Red Bull Racing driver, described his performance in the Singapore Grand Prix sprint qualifying as "very poor" and said the car felt "undrivable". The Frenchman’s comments came after he struggled to find grip on the Marina Bay street circuit, finishing well down the order while his teammate Max Verstappen secured pole position.
What went wrong for Hadjar?
According to the post‑qualifying interview quoted by Formula1.com, Hadjar said the car’s balance was off and he could not extract the usual level of performance from the RB‑19. He highlighted a lack of rear‑end stability through the high‑speed corners, which forced him to back off the throttle and lose crucial lap time. "I don't feel like it's driveable," he added, indicating that the car’s handling was far from the benchmark set by Verstappen earlier in the session.
Red Bull’s technical team has not yet released a detailed explanation, but the team’s usual approach is to analyse telemetry and adjust aerodynamic settings for the next day’s race. Hadjar’s remarks suggest that the team may need to make significant changes to the car’s setup for the race, especially given the demanding nature of the Singapore circuit, where brake temperatures and tyre degradation are critical.
Implications for the weekend
Verstappen’s pole puts him in a strong position to convert the sprint result into a race win, but Hadjar’s struggles could affect Red Bull’s overall points haul. If the team cannot rectify the handling issues, Hadjar may finish outside the points in the main Grand Prix, limiting the rookie’s chance to score his first points of the season. The sprint race itself awarded points to the top eight, meaning Hadjar’s poor qualifying also reduced his sprint‑race starting position, further diminishing his chances of a strong finish.
For Indian fans, the Singapore Grand Prix will be broadcast live on FanCode, with the sprint qualifying session starting at 16:30 IST on Saturday, 22 September, and the main race kicking off at 20:00 IST on Sunday, 23 September. Hadjar’s performance will be closely watched by those following the Red Bull rookie, especially as the team looks to maximise points in the Asian swing of the calendar.
Source: Formula1.com