Hadjar opens up on key mistakes in a tough-to-handle Red Bull

Isack Hadjar finishes fifth in the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, his season-best, despite car-balance issues and two penalties that blunt a potential fight for fourth.

Red Bull shows pace early, yet handling proves more capricious than earlier sessions. On softs, Hadjar launches cleanly and avoids reliability trouble that hit Saturday’s Sprint earlier in the weekend.

Through the pit phase, he undercuts Charles Leclerc to gain track position. The advantage unravels when a forceful defence later squeezes the Ferrari off track, drawing stewards’ attention.

Race control issues a 10-second penalty for that move. Hadjar accepts responsibility afterward, noting the misjudgement stems from struggling to keep the car within a manageable operating window.

Compounding matters, he receives a stop-go penalty for insufficient speed reduction under yellow flags. Even so, a sizable cushion over the midfield preserves fifth at the flag.

Those sanctions end any realistic bid to re-pass Leclerc, who consolidates fourth. Hadjar reports the car feels “hard to drive”, with inconsistent responses that erode confidence across the stint.

That contrasts with pace on Friday and in qualifying and Sprint, when balance felt predictable. Red Bull implements set-up tweaks for Sunday amid rain threats, and the changes unsettle Hadjar.

Such compromises often widen the margin for error. Shifts in balance or mechanical platform can improve wet preparedness yet punish tyre stability and braking feel on a drying surface.

Positives remain. Relative to recent rounds, he closes the gap to Max Verstappen more convincingly, and his execution from Miami’s baseline indicates incremental progress for team and driver.

Hadjar targets carrying that feeling into the tight demands of the Monaco Grand Prix on June 5–7, where confidence on turn-in and traction typically define qualifying outcome.

The Montreal race features mixed conditions and strategic complexity, magnifying operational discipline. Despite errors, Hadjar’s underlying pace and racecraft hold firm, offering Red Bull reassurance as it chases cleaner weekends.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.