Isack Hadjar, a driver for Racing Bulls, expressed disappointment following his performance during the Mexico Grand Prix qualifying session. Hadjar recognized a key flaw in his car that impacted his overall performance despite maximizing its potential.
Mexico Grand Prix Qualifying Overview
The qualifying session took place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, where Hadjar surprisingly topped Q1. He finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton from Ferrari by a narrow margin of just 0.003 seconds.
As the session progressed, Hadjar encountered challenges. He barely advanced to Q3 by just 0.012 seconds over Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull. Ultimately, he finished Q3 with a time that placed him in ninth position, which will be elevated to eighth due to Carlos Sainz’s five-place grid penalty.
Performance Analysis
Despite the positive outcome of qualifying, Hadjar admitted frustration with his lap. He commented, “I was on a very good lap, made a bit of a mistake,” acknowledging the competitive nature of the teams around him. “The top teams keep finding performance through qualifying, and we simply don’t.”
Hadjar identified a critical issue with the Racing Bulls car, particularly regarding its performance on the kerbs during the stadium section of the circuit. He stated, “The main issues we have with our car, it’s just the kerb-riding; it’s just poor.” He elaborated that achieving the right balance between load and car compliance is a significant challenge.
Looking Ahead
While Hadjar praised the team’s efforts to improve the car’s performance in a short timeframe, he remained concerned about his starting position. He noted that he has frequently started from the less advantageous ‘dirty’ side of the grid, which complicates the start, especially with a long run into Turn 1.
Hadjar added, “Honestly now, it’s been I don’t know how many races I’m starting on the wrong side of the grid.” He also expressed hope for the race outcome by saying, “It should be chaos, hopefully, and I will take the opportunity.”
- Driver: Isack Hadjar
- Team: Racing Bulls
- Q1 Position: 1st (0.003s ahead of Lewis Hamilton)
- Q3 Position: 9th (moves to 8th due to Carlos Sainz’s penalty)
- Key Issues: Poor kerb-riding performance
As the race approaches, the Racing Bulls team aims to address these challenges and enhance their competitiveness on the track.
