Hadjar had ‘good fun’ battling ‘big boys’ in Austrian GP

Isack Hadjar left the Austrian Grand Prix with a smile on his face and a spring in his step after enjoying the kind of Formula 1 battle he had been waiting for.

The Red Bull driver described his afternoon at the Red Bull Ring as a breakthrough moment, as he found himself trading blows with some of the sport’s biggest names and proving he could mix it with the established front-runners.

Starting eighth on the grid, Hadjar launched himself into the middle of the action, fighting wheel-to-wheel with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton while also taking on McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

By the chequered flag, he had secured an impressive sixth-place finish, but the Frenchman believes an even bigger result was within reach.

For Hadjar, the race was not just about the points—it was about discovering what it feels like to belong in the battle at the sharp end.

Hadjar embraces the big-name battles

After spending much of his early Formula 1 career fighting for opportunities in the midfield, Hadjar found himself in unfamiliar but thrilling territory: battling the championship contenders.

The Red Bull youngster admitted the Austrian Grand Prix felt like a landmark moment in his career.

“I don't remember a race in my career where I fought with the big boys, like the Ferrari, the McLarens,” he said when about his frantic afternoon.

“So that was good fun, that was a first. And I think we succeeded quite well. But yeah, if we had started a bit further up the grid, if it wasn't for deployment issues, I think there was a fourth place in the locker. So it's positive.”

Hadjar’s pace was particularly encouraging given the strength of the opposition around him. Rather than simply defending from faster cars, he was able to attack, challenge and hold his own against drivers with far more experience at the front of the grid.

One of his most memorable moments came while battling Hamilton, although Hadjar admitted he may have been slightly too respectful during their duel.

“No, it was just cool, but nothing that I necessarily learned. Maybe I was a bit too kind with Lewis into Turn 4, I remember. But apart from that, I think I fought pretty well.”

Red Bull upgrade delivers confidence boost

Hadjar’s strong result came during a weekend when Red Bull’s latest upgrade package showed clear signs of unlocking more performance from the RB22. While Max Verstappen converted the improvements into second place, Hadjar also felt the difference behind the wheel.

The young Frenchman believes the car’s race pace has taken a major step forward, addressing one of Red Bull’s previous weaknesses.

“Definitely feel it in the race pace,” he said. “I think today we had the second quickest car. Usually we struggle more with the race pace than qualifying pace. This weekend was more equal.

“So very good on that aspect. So, yeah, you do feel it. But I feel like the car was not in the right window, and still it's fast, so it's encouraging.

“We had the first update in Miami, did a big step forward. Now we did a nice step in the race. On one lap, it was still not like the others, Mercedes, I think, was still flying. But very encouraging."

However, Hadjar’s afternoon was not completely straightforward. Brake problems that had troubled him earlier in the weekend returned during the race, forcing him to manage the car carefully while battling in a tightly packed group.

“Quite a few lockups, very poor confidence,” he explained. “I had to take some margin each lap, but I felt that struggle for everyone around me, I was not alone. I think it could be track specific hot track temperatures, and the tyres felt very poor.”

• Read also: Verstappen on why he ‘started laughing’ during Silverstone sim run

Despite those difficulties, Hadjar saw the positives. The Austrian Grand Prix offered a glimpse of what could be possible as Red Bull continues developing the RB22 – and gave the young driver a taste of life among Formula 1’s elite.

For a driver still building his reputation, sharing the same piece of track as Hamilton, Norris and Piastri was more than just another race. It was a statement that he is ready for the fight.

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