Despite Isack Hadjar making it to Q3 in Canada, points were never really in sight. However, the Racing Bulls driver is looking forward to the race weekend in Austria with optimism. On traditional circuits like the Red Bull Ring, the Frenchman expects to be competitive over the full race distance.
Isack Hadjar qualified ninth for the Canadian Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls driver is now a regular in Q3 and is neatly tenth in the drivers’ championship with 21 points. Yet, he was unable to increase his points tally in Montreal. Hadjar was lapped and eventually finished sixteenth. “Somehow we made it to Q3, but the race was simply too long for us,” he reflects during the press conference in Austria. “Over 70 laps, it’s much harder to constantly drive at the limit. We struggled compared to the other teams in terms of tyre wear, especially on the mediums.”
Traditional Circuits
Furthermore, Hadjar is extremely positive about the VCARB02 and sees Canada as an exception to the rule. “It’s the most consistent car in terms of performance. I’ve never had any unpleasant surprises,” he says. “You really have to tune your car to Montreal, which is a specific circuit. I think I could be more competitive on a more traditional circuit, like Barcelona.”
With ‘traditional circuits’, Hadjar is mainly referring to the European calendar. The Frenchman therefore expects the Red Bull Ring to suit the characteristics of the VCARB02 better than the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. “Lately, I’ve been competitive. It’s a circuit that I really enjoy and I truly enjoy it. If the car makes it to Q3, I’m going to do everything I can to beat the midfield,” he says determinedly, although he’s not yet so sure of his case. “Every time you drive a Formula 1 car on a circuit where you’ve previously driven with Formula 2 or Formula 3, it feels like a completely different track.”
