News Summary
- Isack Hadjar admitted he nearly crashed into Red Bull’s mechanics while entering his pit box during the São Paulo Grand Prix.
- The Frenchman struggled with extremely slippery conditions as rain returned, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli was pressuring him from behind.
- Hadjar finished third behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, securing his third podium of the 2026 season.
Isack Hadjar revealed that he nearly crashed into Red Bull’s mechanics during a pit stop at the São Paulo Grand Prix, admitting that the extremely slippery conditions at Interlagos made even entering the pit box a dangerous challenge.
The Frenchman finished third on Sunday, completing a double podium for Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen. However, his race almost took a very different turn when heavy rain returned during the closing stages, forcing the leaders to abandon slick tyres and switch back to intermediates.
Speaking at the FIA’s post-race press conference, Hadjar described the difficulty of controlling his car while Andrea Kimi Antonelli was closing behind him.
Hadjar reveals near miss with Red Bull mechanics
Hadjar had been fighting Antonelli as rain intensified, with both drivers struggling to keep their cars on the circuit.
The Red Bull driver explained that he was effectively testing the available grip for the Mercedes driver behind him, making it particularly difficult to judge how much speed he could carry into the corners.
“It was so hard because he was behind me. I was testing the grip for him, basically. I could see he was challenging me a lot, and I was on ice and he was on ice as well,” Hadjar said.
The Frenchman managed to complete the lap without losing his position, but the conditions became especially challenging as he entered the pit lane.
“I nearly shunted into my pit crew when boxing, but they did a fantastic job. They kept their calm and the pit stop was fast. So, big thanks to the boys.”
Despite the scare, Red Bull’s mechanics completed the stop successfully, allowing Hadjar to return to the circuit and retain his position ahead of the Mercedes drivers.
Hadjar did not report making contact with any mechanic, and the incident did not result in a sporting penalty.
Hadjar admits São Paulo conditions exposed his mistakes
The 22-year-old described Sunday’s race as one of the most demanding experiences of his Formula 1 career, particularly because of the changing conditions.
Drivers started on intermediate tyres before switching to slicks as the circuit dried. Heavy rain returned during the closing stages, creating another difficult transition.
“Oh yeah, it was so, so difficult, so challenging, especially switching from the inters to the soft tyre and avoiding the traps,” Hadjar said.
“Yeah, it was extremely difficult, especially in the pit lane. You saw how tricky it was to drive, and then more rain at the end.”
Hadjar also acknowledged that he had made mistakes during the race, including moments when he struggled to keep his car on the circuit while battling Verstappen.
“So, happy to be standing third today, but yeah, I need to make a few less mistakes because I could have avoided a little awkward situation with Max.”
“So, just want to apologise because I think on that stint I could have kept it a bit more on the track.”
His remarks came after Red Bull instructed him to surrender second place to Verstappen, allowing the Dutchman to pursue Norris for victory.
Hadjar complied with the instruction but questioned whether the positions would be reversed if Verstappen failed to catch the McLaren.
Hadjar battles Antonelli before securing third podium
Hadjar’s podium followed an impressive recovery by Red Bull after a difficult start to the Brazilian weekend.
The Frenchman qualified fifth before moving forward during the opening stages. He overtook Antonelli after the Mercedes driver spun and briefly established himself as Red Bull’s leading contender.
His performance became particularly important because Verstappen had started 21st following power-unit penalties.
The four-time world champion eventually recovered to second, while Hadjar defended third against George Russell and Antonelli.
Hadjar acknowledged that the race had tested his confidence and ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.
“I mean, out of the, I don’t know how many races I have in F1, not many, but definitely the most challenging conditions I’ve ever faced,” he said.
“So, I’m happy to have tested myself in conditions like that. With the bit of experience I have, I feel happy to be on the podium next to two amazing drivers.”
The result gave Hadjar his third podium of the season and helped Red Bull score 33 points at Interlagos, matching McLaren’s haul.
The São Paulo Grand Prix race report details the changing conditions and the decisive moments that shaped the final classification.
Hadjar questions wet-weather tyre performance
The pit-lane scare also reinforced Hadjar’s concerns about the performance of Formula 1’s 2026 wet-weather tyres.
The Frenchman believes the extreme-wet compound provides insufficient grip in conditions where relatively little standing water remains on the circuit.
He explained that the tyres appeared harder than those used in previous seasons, making the transition between extreme-wet and intermediate compounds particularly difficult.
Those concerns were shared by Norris and Verstappen, who warned that tyre temperatures could become a major problem at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Hadjar’s comments reflected the difficulties experienced throughout the São Paulo weekend, when rain repeatedly disrupted qualifying and the race.
Red Bull now turns its attention to Las Vegas on November 19–21, with Hadjar seeking to continue his strong form during the final three rounds of the season.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the final stages of the 2026 Formula 1 championship, with breaking news and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
