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Max Verstappen Shares Shocking ‘Oh My God’ Moment in Isack Hadjar Near-Crash
Highlights
- Verstappen had an “Oh my God” moment during Belgian GP qualifying.
- Hadjar provided a tow, aiding Verstappen’s front-row start at Spa.
- Hadjar carried a 30-place grid penalty, enabling strategic team use.
- Red Bull planned slipstream tactics to boost Verstappen’s lap time.
- Verstappen trusted Hadjar’s pace despite very close qualifying runs.
- Front-row start strengthens Verstappen’s position for the Belgian GP race.
Max Verstappen describes an “Oh my God” moment in Belgian Grand Prix qualifying at Spa after a close run behind teammate Isack Hadjar, yet the Red Bull plan secures a front-row start.
Red Bull executes a pre-planned slipstream strategy, using Hadjar’s car as a tow to recover lap time. The approach is enabled by Hadjar’s 30-place grid penalty, freeing him to serve team priorities.
The tow is timed for the final sector, where reduced energy deployment increases drag and strengthens the slipstream. Verstappen estimates he would be sixth or seventh without it.
Verstappen says the tow likely turns a P6–P7 into a front-row start at Spa.
On his final lap, Verstappen closes rapidly, appearing almost too close to avoid lifting. He holds firm, citing complete trust in Hadjar’s pace and positioning.
“I would have just pushed him,” Verstappen says, underlining his confidence in Hadjar’s execution.
The pair rehearse elements of the tactic in practice, including first and third sector assists. The qualifying run mirrors that work, with clean timing through the final corner.
The maneuver shows Red Bull’s coordination and operational discipline under pressure. It also reflects recent focus on intra-team execution between Verstappen and Hadjar, covered in earlier analysis.
Hadjar’s heavy grid drop lets Red Bull prioritize the slipstream without compromising his race position.
Using a penalized car to tow a teammate is legitimate within regulations, provided it avoids impeding rivals. The risk is balance: gain the slipstream without forcing a lift or dirty-air instability.
Strategically, the front-row result strengthens Verstappen’s race prospects at Spa. It also underlines Red Bull’s willingness to apply targeted team tactics to maximize qualifying payoff.
The session slots into a tense campaign for Verstappen, marked by tight margins and heightened radio intensity, including a recent radio outburst that framed his exacting standards.
Red Bull pre-selects the straight with lower energy deployment to amplify drag and enhance the tow effect.
As the race approaches, the question is conversion. The slipstream delivers track position; execution on stint length, tyre phase, and traffic will decide if it becomes victory.
Visual Summary
🇳🇱
VER
🇫🇷
HAD
-30
“Oh my God!”
Verstappen’s Last-Sector Tow
Red Bull teamwork: Hadjar’s slipstream launches Verstappen to P2 at Spa.
P2
Grid Start
↔️
INCHES APART!
INCHES APART!
+4 Places
from tow
Verstappen trusted Hadjar—even under grid penalty—to deliver a perfectly-timed tow. Result: front row at Spa, and another display of high-stakes F1 teamwork under pressure.
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.
