Isack Hadjar seemed on track for a strong performance in Qatar, but his race came to an abrupt end due to a technical failure on his Racing Bulls car. The deflector on the left front wheel – an aerodynamic element above the tire – failed, slicing open his tire and instantly eliminating his chances of scoring points.
Hadjar had qualified in sixth place and maintained that position for a significant portion of the race, until a component of his VCARB 02 broke off and cut open his tire. After the race, the Frenchman could barely contain his frustration. “The front wing just broke off, got under the car, and cut my tire open. Completely without cause,” he told Viaplay. “It just broke off on its own.” Hadjar felt powerless: “Apparently I’m driving a LEGO car,” he sneered, visibly disappointed after his DNF.
Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane immediately took responsibility after the race and admitted that the team had let Hadjar down. “First of all, our apologies to Isack for the failing part,” he said. “The left wheel deflector broke off, probably due to the aggressive kerbstones here. But of course, this should not happen. We will investigate how this could have occurred.” Such an incident is not an exception for Racing Bulls, as a part of the front wing of Yuki Tsunoda‘s car also broke during the Grand Prix of China. The team seems to have to search again for the cause of a possible structural problem with the aerodynamic parts.
Promotion to Red Bull
After the Grand Prix of Qatar, it is clear that Hadjar will move up to the parent team Red Bull next season. The Racing Bulls rookie made an impression this year and even secured a podium in Zandvoort. He will replace Yuki Tsunoda and will join Max Verstappen in 2026.
