Hadjar disqualified from Miami qualifying after Red Bull breach

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Isack Hadjar has been disqualified from Saturday’s Miami Grand Prix qualifying session after his Red Bull was found to be in breach of Formula 1’s technical regulations.

The 21-year-old had originally secured ninth place on the grid, but post-session scrutineering revealed that his RB22 did not comply with the rules governing floor dimensions.

As a result, Hadjar will now start Sunday’s race from the pitlane, marking a significant setback in what has already been a difficult weekend.

Technical infringement confirmed

The issue centred on the floorboards of Hadjar’s car, which were found to exceed the permitted limits outlined in Article C3.5.5 of the FIA’s technical regulations.

In a detailed statement, the FIA confirmed both the nature of the infringement and the team’s acceptance of the findings:

“The stewards heard from the team representatives of Car 6 (Isack Hadjar).

“They did not dispute the findings of the technical delegate that portions of the LHS and RHS floor boards were protruding 2mm out of the reference volume RV-FLOOR BOARD.

“This is a breach of Article C3.5.5 of the FIA F1 Regulations and the usual consequences follow an admitted breach of the technical regulations.

“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 5 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.

“Decisions of the stewards are taken independently of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines and evidence presented.”

The ruling had been widely anticipated, with news of the irregularity emerging shortly after qualifying concluded.

Grid reshuffle and team response

Hadjar’s exclusion reshuffles the lower half of the grid, promoting Pierre Gasly to ninth, while Nico Hulkenberg moves up alongside him on the fifth row.

For Hadjar, the disqualification compounds an underwhelming Miami showing, having also missed out on points in Saturday’s Sprint race despite starting in the same position.

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies acknowledged the error and accepted responsibility for the breach.

“We made a mistake and we respect the decision of the stewards. No performance advantage was intended nor gained from the error,” said the Frenchman.

“We will learn from this incident and assess our processes to understand how it occurred and to take steps to ensure it cannot happen again.

“As a team, we apologise to Isack and to our fans and partners. We learn the hard way today, but we will move forward.”

Read also:

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With Hadjar relegated to a pitlane start, Red Bull’s hopes for a strong result in Miami now rest heavily on Max Verstappen, who lines up on the front row alongside polesitter Kimi Antonelli.

For Hadjar, meanwhile, the focus shifts to damage limitation in Sunday’s race – starting from the very back, and with little margin for further error.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.