A tale of two contrasting fortunes unfolded for Isack Hadjar during the opening day of the 2026 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix weekend at Marina Bay. The French driver is set to start the inaugural Sprint race from ninth place after a troubled qualifying session marred by deleted lap times and unexpected technical hurdles.
While his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen mastered the street circuit to claim his first pole position in Singapore, Hadjar struggled to find a competitive rhythm. Initially finishing sixth, a track limits infringement saw his fastest lap deleted, plunging him down to the fifth row of the grid.
Despite the disappointing Saturday morning grid position, the 22-year-old explained that his weekend actually began on a very positive note. Feeling immediately comfortable during FP1 on the hard compound tyres, he believed the momentum would carry smoothly into the competitive sessions.
However, things took a sharp downward turn as qualifying approached. The car handling felt entirely different compared to earlier running, leaving him fighting for survival through every corner of the demanding street layout.
Detailing the struggles, he admitted to never having a clean lap, citing constant battles with the car behaviour and engine issues during his final run. When addressing speculation about whether the soft compound hindered his pace in SQ3, he firmly dismissed the theory, noting that the soft tyre offered a massive step up in grip and everyone else was on the same rubber.
Concluding his assessment ahead of the weekend's first competitive showdown, Hadjar delivered a blunt verdict on his current machinery, stating candidly that the car simply does not feel drivable right now as he prepares to capitalize on expected Marina Bay drama.
Read Also
Haas tetap berkomitmen penuh kepada Esteban Ocon meski sang pembalap dipastikan meninggalkan tim F1 pada akhir musim 2027 mendatang.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli alami kesulitan dengan paket baru Mercedes di kualifikasi sprint F1 GP Singapura 2026, akui mobil sangat tidak bisa ditebak.
Peluang juara dunia F1 George Russell disebut sudah habis oleh Martin Brundle usai serangkaian masalah mesin dan kalah cepat dari Kimi Antonelli.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!