Isack Hadjar made a bold claim after an impressive qualifying performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver believes he would have been second on the grid had he not missed the previous three races.
Hadjar returned to the cockpit this weekend in Baku following a three-race layoff due to a hand injury. Despite this, he put his Red Bull fourth on the grid, four places ahead of teammate Max Verstappen.
“If I had been racing the last three races, then I would definitely be second on the grid,” he told reporters in Baku. “I just feel like it’s a tough track to come back to after two months.”
Hadjar also admitted he was holding something in reserve. “I’m actually even surprised to be that close to second, just over a tenth,” he said. “It’s good. Even though I feel like there’s still more to come, because I feel like I was building up the whole weekend. I didn’t take many risks; it’s a risky track. I don’t want to hit the wall with my condition right now. So, honestly, I took it quite easy. I felt like there was still more to unlock. After Q3, I was like, ‘I wish we had more laps’. Yesterday I had a limited amount of laps as well. All in all, it’s still good; it’s just a bit depressing, the gap with P1. George [Russell] is flying, Mercedes is very quick.”
Looking ahead to the race, Hadjar is confident in his car but wary of Red Bull’s recent starts. “I think the car was very nice in the long run to drive; I had a good feeling yesterday in FP2. So, the only concerns we had the last couple of races – I was watching from the couch – [was] the race starts were very difficult for us. It’s almost like Max was always losing a place on the launch, and it feels like this weekend I’m not super confident. It’s a small run to Turn 1. If we can get Turn 1 well, then I think we are in a good position.”
With this performance, Hadjar proves his injury hasn’t dulled his speed. He is now determined to maximise his result in the race and help Red Bull secure vital points.
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