Even though Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have had problems, Isack Hadjar is not deterred by the second Red Bull cockpit and would take on Verstappen
Even though the cockpit at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen is currently considered the most difficult task in the Formula 1 field, rookie Isack Hadjar would be happy to take on the challenge. The Frenchman is currently the only driver of the four bulls who has not yet been allowed to take a seat in the RB21.
After Sergio Perez was released, Liam Lawson was given just two races as his replacement before he was sent back to the Racing Bulls. His replacement, Yuki Tsunoda, was also unlucky on his Red Bull debut in Japan, finishing only ninth.
Although it hardly seems possible at the moment to look strong in this car, Hadjar would feel confident taking on the task. He is not deterred by the recent results – on the contrary: “Honestly, now that it seems so hard to drive alongside Max, it excites me all the more – to figure out why that is, what’s happening. That’s still my goal,” he says.
Hadjar continues as before
So far, Hadjar has made a decent debut in Formula 1 and has been praised by Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko – despite his faux pas on the formation lap in Australia.
Most recently in Suzuka, he scored his first points in Formula 1 with an eighth-place finish, making him the second-most successful Red Bull driver behind Verstappen. But given his lack of experience, he is likely to be a long way off a Red Bull cockpit. “It’s not like I don’t have anything left to prove,” says the rookie.
“I’m still putting myself under pressure to keep performing. Maybe people’s expectations are a little higher now, but I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing,” says Hadjar.
“As I said before the season, my goal is to get the maximum out of it. If the car can finish ninth or eighth, then that’s where I want to be – not outside the top 10,” he clarifies. ‘If the car deserves a top-10 result, then I have to deliver.’
Lawson: Racing Bulls’ window is bigger
Currently, the Racing Bulls’ VCARB 02 is considered to be much easier to drive. It is said to have a larger working window and not to be as uncompromising as the car that is tailored to Verstappen.
“I think that’s a fair assessment,” says Lawson, who has been able to try out both cars. ‘The window is definitely bigger, the car easier to drive. But that doesn’t mean that the Red Bull is undrivable – it just might take a little more time to feel comfortable in it,’ he explains.
“The (Racing Bulls) car is not that different from last year. It was more of an adjustment back to what I drove at the beginning of this year. It’s quite different, but I feel good with it,” said the New Zealander, who still had problems after his switch and only finished 17th in Japan.
“I think the weekend in Japan didn’t really show what we were really capable of. Unfortunately, we kind of blew qualifying, but overall I felt pretty comfortable.”
