Isack Hadjar was quick to comply when Red Bull ordered him to let his team mate pass him in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
But he made sure Red Bull did not forget how readily he let Max Verstappen through – especially as Hadjar appeared to lose more time over the following laps as his team mate did not pull away from him.
Excerpts from Hadjar’s radio communications in the Brazilian Grand Prix
Hadjar was dismayed to see how easily George Russell pulled away from him when the Mercedes driver overtook. He told his race engineer Richard Wood it was as if they were in a different category.
| Lap: 8/71 HAD: 1’27.039 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah, zero grip now. The tyres really took a hit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Copy, so front is in the window, rears are plus 10 to target. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 9/71 HAD: 1’27.134 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Alright, we are stuck. We are stuck. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 11/71 HAD: 1’28.110 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Russell passes Hadjar The only thing we have for turn 12 is push toggle. |
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| Hadjar | Ah, we are in a different championship. Crazy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Copy, update track conditions when you can. Some people are talking about slicks soon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah, but not now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Car behind, now Max, he’s 26.9 last lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 12/71 HAD: 1’27.374 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | So main loss still one, two, three. Let us know if we can help you with anything. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 13/71 HAD: 1’27.814 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Any rain coming? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | [Unclear] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Copy, rain is meant to be passing to the north of us, it’s not due to hit a track currently. I’ll keep you updated on rain. Turn 12 traction is not too bad of a loss, it’s not too bad of a loss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hadjar did not seem eager to switch to soft tyres as the track dried out. He followed Russell out of the pits and swerved to avoid the spinning Mercedes at the pit exit.
| Lap: 15/71 HAD: 1’25.962 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | It’s consistent now. Inter is still faster. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Hamilton and Sainz on soft, we’ll keep you updated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 16/71 HAD: 1’30.321 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Would you be happy with slick? Would you be happy with slick? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | I don’t know. Should we follow George? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | I mean, data’s looking good, data is looking good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | What is looking good? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Hamilton is looking faster, so box this lap, box this lap, Hamilton is faster. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Tyre eight, tyre eight. So strat 12 in the pit lane, strat 12 in the pit lane. Strat nine, strat nine, strat nine. Push toggle on, push toggle on. Straight to these tyres. So yeah, straight into it. Boost available, boost available. Okay, so sector one is the worst, sector one is the worst. Make most of our warm up, make most of warm up. Let’s go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Red Bull warned Hadjar that once Verstappen got close enough to use his Straight Mode he would have to let his team mate by. The order came on the next lap and Hadjar complied without hesitation, losing almost two seconds as he slowed sharply before the first corner.
Only once he had let Verstappen through did Hadjar ask his race engineer whether they would return the cars to the original running order if his team mate was unable to pass the only remaining driver ahead of them, Lando Norris. Wood told him he was checking with the team.
| Lap: 36/71 HAD: 1’14.954 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Approaching pit straight Okay Isack gap behind to Max 1.2. If he’s in overtake mode we’ll be asking to switch. |
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| Lap: 37/71 HAD: 1’14.913 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Approaching pit straight Isack this is a team request, we want to let Max pass this lap, he has overtake. Want the team request [unclear] into turn one please. Hadjar lets Verstappen past into turn one |
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| Lap: 38/71 HAD: 1’16.783 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | And if he can’t get by Lando we stay like this? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Will come back to you, mate. Come back to you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Let’s just stick with him mate, let’s stick with him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | [Unclear] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Okay in seven laps’ time, we’re expecting light rain. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 40/71 HAD: 1’15.370 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Display 10, position one if you can, display 10, position one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Four laps after the position swap, Verstappen had still not pulled away from his team mate. Hadjar was still waiting to learn the answer to his question.
| Lap: 41/71 HAD: 1’14.908 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Don’t forget to come back to me, eh? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yes mate, I’m working on it, I am still working on it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/71 HAD: 1’14.979 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Engine 14 position 10, engine 14 position 10, that’s clips in turn one and turn four, turn one, turn four. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hadjar closed within half a second of Verstappen on lap 43 and again pressed Wood for an answer on whether he’d be allowed to take his position back.
On lap 44 Red Bull brought Verstappen into the pits. As he pitted before Hadjar he gained the benefit of the ‘undercut’ by being first onto fresher tyres.
| Lap: 43/71 HAD: 1’14.882 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Mate, you see what I’m saying? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yep I see you, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Okay, thank you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 44/71 HAD: 1’15.070 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | And Isack some cars are talking about going to the end on the current tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yep. For sure. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | [Unclear] where you think it’s possible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Is he okay [unclear]? What’s happening? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 45/71 HAD: 1’15.237 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Yep I think he is struggling. We’re working on it, mate, we’re working on it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 46/71 HAD: 1’14.990 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Ok mate, you know the plan from here. Let’s go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Caution, Gasly behind is going to try and un-lap himself, let’s just get him out of the way, let’s lose him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Ah! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | What are you currently predicting? [Unclear] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After Hadjar made his pit stop, Verstappen was nine seconds up the road. The gap between them was slightly less at the end of the race.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies congratulated Hadjar on his best performance to date:
| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | Chequered flag, chequered flag. Slow button on, slow button on. It’s a good effort mate, a very good effort. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah, sorry about my mistakes on the softs. They are creating a bit of an awkward situation, so I’m sorry. And yeah, I ruined the pace on the first stint. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wood | It’s a team effort mate, team effort. We’ll work together on that. A good effort and nice to finally get our deserved podium. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mekies | Well done Isack, that was a very, very strong pace, your best race with us in super-tricky conditions. You probably deserved a bit more, but we saw that, you did a very good job, very proud. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hadjar | Yeah, thank you. It’s not been the easiest weekend, still finished third, so good effort. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mekies | Yeah, enjoy the whole podium. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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