Isack Hadjar ends Friday at COTA describing practice as a disaster. The Red Bull rookie fights severe front-tyre degradation and balance instability as preparations tighten before qualifying.

He ranks 14th in FP1, 1.5s off Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari benchmark. FP2 brings P9 and a 1.1s deficit, but sector-two and sector-three losses mask sector-one gains.

Hadjar reports softs overheating quickly. The fronts then lose grip through high-speed changes and long corners. He calls the car undriveable and says the front tyres are completely killed after sector one.

Teammate Max Verstappen does not mirror the pattern, pointing to setup divergence across garages. Hadjar references the ongoing Verstappen–Hadjar debate as the team chases an explanation for higher tyre temperatures on his side.

Red Bull targets balance changes and temperature management overnight. Engineers will prioritise front support without spiking surface temps, as outlined in recent analysis of their US GP approach.

COTA’s fast Esses penalise any front push early in the lap. Once the fronts slide, the long second sector and traction zones amplify time loss, making recovery within the same lap unlikely.

If unresolved, Hadjar faces compromised long-run windows and curtailed stints. Strategy flexibility, including undercuts, diminishes without stable front grip during the United States GP weekend.

Hadjar remains open about the shortfall and expects setup tweaks to help once the root cause is clear. His work against Verstappen’s reference, explored in prior analysis, frames Saturday’s pressure.

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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.