Rising star Isack Hadjar, a newcomer from Racing Bulls, has made his mark among Formula 1’s leading contenders in China, a feat that underscores the team’s elevated potential in the championship. Hadjar’s performance was both impressive and promising during his F1 debut in Australia, where he qualified in the 11th position before a disheartening departure from the race during the formation lap.
However, the former Formula 2 vice-champion was swift to regain his composure. In Shanghai, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to correct his course immediately, thanks to back-to-back races. Hadjar demonstrated his resilience on Saturday, not only surpassing his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda but also securing the seventh fastest time, placing himself firmly within the top 10. This feat positioned him squarely between Ferrari and Mercedes, the titans of the race.
Speaking to selected media outlets including Motorsport Week, Hadjar expressed his exhilaration, stating, “To be with the big boys is definitely a good feeling,” and emphasizing that “It shows the potential is really high.” However, despite his outstanding performance, the young racer isn’t resting on his laurels. He acknowledges the struggle of putting everything together for the final Q3 lap, a challenge he intends to work on.
Reflecting on his performance, Hadjar noted that he felt most comfortable with the car during the Q1, but a shift in wind during the Q2 left him struggling to find the same balance. He’s aware of the areas he needs to improve on and is determined to gain more lap time and positions.
As Hadjar prepares for the race on Sunday, he has identified another aspect of his game to enhance, his start. Drawing inspiration from his team-mate Yuki, Hadjar believes a better start could help him maintain his current standing. He is also aware of his goal to score points and knows what he needs to improve after a less-than-ideal start in the Sprint. He remains confident, stating, “I think, in my head, I have a good start.”
Hadjar’s team-mates at Racing Bulls were full of praise for the 20-year-old racer, applauding his commendable performance. Tsunoda praised Hadjar’s swift comeback from Australia, highlighting his regained confidence within a week. He also expressed surprise at Hadjar’s rapid pace early in his F1 career. “In hindsight, yeah, surprised a little bit, but especially when I see Bahrain test, he was probably not as fast as this and I think he made a step from Bahrain test and so far he seems to have made a good step,” Tsunoda said.
Racing Bulls’ Racing Director, Alan Permane, was thrilled with Hadjar’s performance, stating, “It’s great to see Isack put the words of Melbourne behind him with a really solid performance.” Similarly, Team Principal Laurent Mekies was delighted with the team’s overall performance, particularly the double top-10 appearance for Racing Bulls in qualifying, courtesy of Tsunoda and Hadjar. He praised the team for their stellar performance over the past two days in Shanghai, and expressed excitement about the pace shown by both racers, especially within such a competitive field.