Isack Hadjar endured a frustrating qualifying session at the Singapore Grand Prix, managing only ninth place in the sprint shootout after describing his machine as completely undrivable through the closing stages under the lights.
The Frenchman had showcased encouraging pace earlier in the day around the Marina Bay Circuit, but that performance evaporated when it mattered most. While teammate Max Verstappen mastered the session to claim top spot, Hadjar struggled to extract any meaningful speed from his car.
Compounding his woes, Hadjar's final lap time in SQ3 was deleted by race control due to a track limits infringement. This setback dropped him further down the order, heavily compromising his starting position for Saturday's upcoming sprint race.
Reflecting on how the session unraveled so quickly, the rookie admitted deep bewilderment at the sudden shift in handling characteristics and overall competitiveness. What started as a comfortable morning session quickly deteriorated into a relentless battle with the chassis.
"What seemed like a good start to the day turned into very poor performance," Hadjar explained when asked about the dramatic drop-off. "I felt very comfortable straight away in FP1 on the hard compound, but that was it really.">
The afternoon brought persistent handling hurdles that prevented any clean runs. He detailed a sequence of complications that compromised his crucial flying laps during the most important part of the knockout phase.
"I never got to have a good lap really, just fighting with the car, engine issues on the last run. I was just struggling. It was just weird," he continued, expressing his frustration with the unexpected technical hurdles.
Despite the drastic change in car behavior, Hadjar refused to use the mandatory switch to soft tires in SQ3 as an excuse for his lowly grid position, acknowledging that the entire field faced identical grip conditions.
"The soft feels like a huge step compared to the medium compound, a lot more grip. It didn't really matter anyway, all the others were on the soft as well," he noted regarding the Pirelli compound transition.
Concluding his assessment of a difficult afternoon, the Red Bull driver delivered a blunt verdict on his current equipment limitations. "I just don't think it's drivable right now," Hadjar declared ahead of race day.
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