FIA in for a shock: This F1 driver doesn't know the racing rules!

"Honestly, when I race, I'm not thinking at all about the [driving] guidelines," Hadjar admitted in Azerbaijan. "Doing what I think is right and doing what is safe for the driver I'm attacking or I'm defending against, that's it. That's what I'm doing, and so far it's been working really well."

When pressed further on the topic, and whether or not he had read them at least, he stated he didn't really know what the actual rules of engagement were when racing wheel to wheel.

"Yes [I have read them], but [I] don't know the rules, to be honest. I shouldn't be proud of that, [and] I'm not," he clarified. "And so far, it's been going well, because I know how to race people.

"I don't think there should be rules on how to race someone, because every scenario is unique. Every corner is unique," he added.

Questioned regarding whether the driving guidelines made sense, he claims that while they do, he doesn't take them into consideration when battling rivals for position.

"And I think we're the 20 best drivers in the world, and so far the racing, at least for me, has been very good. I've had no incidents with anyone, I think," Hadjar concluded.

The rules that govern wheel to wheel racing in Formula One have been a talking point in recent years, with the 2021 title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen bringing the debate to the fore even further.

Since then changes have been made to certain parts of the driving guidelines to try and clarify to drivers what is and isn't allowed when attacking or defending for position.

These attempts, however, are yet to provide the expected outcome. Recently Williams driver Carlos Sainz managed to overturn a penalty he received by the Stewards following a collision with Liam Lawson at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The decision to revoke the two points added to his license following the review of the original verdict was announced by the FIA Stewards prior to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Sainz clinched his first podium for Williams, the sweetest of his career yet.

Team Principal James Vowles, off the back of his first ever F1 podium as team boss, marked Sainz momentous occasion as the first of many more things to come.

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