News Summary
- Laurent Mekies confirmed that Red Bull intended to reverse the position swap between Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar if the drivers remained close together.
- Hadjar surrendered second place on lap 38 of the São Paulo Grand Prix to allow Verstappen to challenge Lando Norris for victory.
- The return of heavy rain and the growing gap between the Red Bull drivers persuaded the team to abandon the reversal, leaving Verstappen second and Hadjar third.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies admitted that the team had considered returning second place to Isack Hadjar after ordering him to let Max Verstappen through during the São Paulo Grand Prix, but explained that worsening weather conditions and the growing distance between the drivers ultimately prevented the positions from being reversed.
Hadjar had been running second at Interlagos when Verstappen, recovering from 21st on the starting grid, caught his teammate during the middle stages of Sunday’s race. Red Bull instructed the Frenchman to surrender the position on lap 38, giving the four-time world champion an opportunity to chase race leader Lando Norris.
The Dutchman was unable to close the gap to the McLaren, however, and Hadjar subsequently questioned whether Red Bull would return the position. Although the team had considered doing so, the drivers eventually finished second and third.
Mekies explains why Red Bull did not return position to Hadjar
Speaking after the race, Mekies confirmed that Red Bull had been prepared to reverse the order if Verstappen and Hadjar had remained close enough together.
“Yeah, I think we would have done it if the cars had stayed close together; we would have done it. Because Isack had a very strong pace, and he stayed with Max, as we have seen after the swap,” Mekies explained.
The team principal said the situation changed as the race progressed. Verstappen gradually opened a gap over Hadjar, while rain returned to Interlagos during the final stages, creating another difficult transition between slick and intermediate tyres.
“But then, as the race panned out and the rain came again, the cars were very, very distant, and it wouldn’t have made sense; plus, the increased rain intensity at the end, it wouldn’t have made any sense.”
Mekies nevertheless praised the cooperation between the drivers, emphasising that both had contributed to Red Bull’s double podium.
“But I have to say Max and Isack worked very, very strongly together.”
The explanation adds an important development to the team order that prompted Hadjar to question whether Verstappen would return second place if the Dutchman failed to catch Norris.
Hadjar had the pace to challenge Verstappen
Hadjar’s performance was particularly impressive because he had initially established himself as Red Bull’s leading driver during the race.
Starting fifth, the Frenchman moved forward in the changing conditions, overtaking Liam Lawson and taking advantage of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s mistakes to reach second place.
Verstappen, meanwhile, was making rapid progress through the field after receiving power-unit penalties that relegated him to 21st on the starting grid. His pace on intermediate tyres allowed him to reach the leading group, eventually closing on Hadjar.
Red Bull decided that Verstappen had the stronger opportunity to challenge Norris and instructed Hadjar to let him through.
The Frenchman complied but remained close to his teammate immediately after the swap. His subsequent radio question indicated that he wanted to know whether the team would reverse the decision if Verstappen failed to make progress.
Mekies acknowledged that Hadjar’s pace had justified considering such a reversal. However, the changing race conditions meant the two drivers were no longer sufficiently close when the decision could have been implemented.
Verstappen unable to catch Norris after Red Bull order
Although Verstappen moved into second, the Dutchman was unable to mount a serious challenge for victory.
The Red Bull driver reported that his car’s handling had deteriorated after switching to slick tyres, with severe oversteer preventing him from maintaining the pace he had demonstrated during the opening stint.
Verstappen subsequently raised the possibility of damage or an aerodynamic problem affecting his Red Bull, although the team has not confirmed the cause.
Mekies acknowledged that McLaren had generally enjoyed a performance advantage and suggested that Norris might have been difficult to beat even if Verstappen had started closer to the front.
The McLaren driver eventually won the São Paulo Grand Prix by 14.602 seconds, while Hadjar completed the podium, 9.883 seconds behind Verstappen.
Mekies praises Hadjar’s strongest Red Bull performance
Despite the disappointment of surrendering second place, Hadjar’s performance earned considerable praise from the Red Bull team principal.
Mekies described the Frenchman’s race as potentially his strongest since joining the senior team, particularly in terms of outright pace.
The result marked Hadjar’s third podium of the 2026 season and reinforced his growing competitiveness alongside Verstappen.
His afternoon had not been without difficulties. Hadjar also revealed that he nearly struck Red Bull’s mechanics during a slippery pit stop, although the crew completed the tyre change without incident.
Red Bull scored 33 points in Brazil, matching McLaren’s haul and strengthening its position in the constructors’ championship.
The team now turns its attention to the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 19–21, where Verstappen will continue his battle for second place in the drivers’ standings.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the final rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 championship, with breaking news and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
