Red Bull 'not worried' about Isack Hadjar despite disastrous Miami GP weekend

Despite extensive upgrades to the RB22, Hadjar was almost a second off the pace behind his teammate at points during the weekend, finishing P9 in the Sprint to Verstappen’s P5. While the Dutchman then lined up on the front row on Sunday, Hadjar had been disqualified from Qualifying and started from the pit lane after Red Bull’s failure to spot illegalities on the Frenchman’s floorboard.

From the pit lane, Hadjar made an impressive start, moving up to P15, but after clipping the inside wall at Miami’s tight Turn 14 chicane on Lap 6, he crashed out at the following corner with broken front-left suspension.

Red Bull team principal Mekies, however, is not concerned with Hadjar’s Miami performance, despite the team’s recent history of second-seat strugglers up against four-time world champion Verstappen.

“I don't think we should qualify that as a worry,” Mekies told media, including GPblog, specifically on Hadjar’s crash. “We had a tough weekend. This has not helped our performance. In terms of driving and in terms of rhythm, he still didn't get into the right rhythm.”

Mekies was nonetheless pleased with the little Hadjar had shown during the race, and conceded Red Bull’s part in making life difficult for the 21-year-old with their floorboard infringement, for which he had already apologised prior to the Grand Prix.

“I think he would have been strong in the race, and was strong for the little he could have shown. I don't think we are worried. We certainly didn't have a clean weekend. We didn't help him either by sending him from the back of the grid after our mistake with the legality of the car. So no, not worried. Not a clean weekend, but there is every indication that we'll be in the right speed again in Montreal," Mekies concluded.

The Racing Bulls graduate will have to wait another couple of weeks before the Canadian GP, but said he is already “itching” to return to racing action after his Lap 6 crash.

Hadjar said to GPblog, and others: "Yeah, I mean, that's what [I want to do]. I honestly I'm itching to get back to it. Like right now, I wish I was driving. I wish I knew what I could have done. It was a good start.