Isack Hadjar believes Max Verstappen’s Singapore Grand Prix victory was down to the driver rather than the car, even suggesting the Red Bull star would have won by a bigger margin in a Ferrari. The Red Bull driver’s comments contrast with Oscar Piastri’s assessment that recent upgrades have made Red Bull the most consistently quick car on the grid.
Key Takeaways
Red Bull Not the Fastest: Isack Hadjar believes Red Bull did not have the quickest car at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s Driving Made the Difference: Hadjar credits the Dutchman with maximising his opportunities, particularly in qualifying and race strategy.
Ferrari Comparison: Hadjar believes Verstappen could have won by a larger margin had he been driving a Ferrari.
Piastri Offers a Different View: Oscar Piastri says Red Bull has become the most consistently quick car following its recent upgrades.
Hadjar Credits Verstappen’s Skill Over the Car
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Hadjar questioned whether Red Bull had the fastest package at the Singapore Grand Prix, despite Verstappen’s recent run of victories, including a dominant performance in Malaysia.
Hadjar acknowledged that Verstappen had been impressive but argued that the Red Bull remained difficult to drive and was not the quickest car around the challenging Marina Bay Street Circuit.
“No, because I think the car is still very hard to drive. In Malaysia, it was dominant, but I don't think in Singapore it was the fastest car,” Hadjar said.
When asked how Verstappen managed to beat Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari by 7.3 seconds, Hadjar offered an even bolder assessment. He pointed to Verstappen’s qualifying performance and the circumstances surrounding Ferrari’s tyre choices as factors that helped determine the outcome.
“I think if you put Max in the Ferrari, he would have won the race with more margin. So that’s my opinion,” he added. “He qualified on pole by half a tenth. Ferrari didn’t have new tyres in the race, not on the soft, so this has an effect as well,” Hadjar explained. “He put all the chances on his side, he made the difference in Q3 and that was enough.”
Piastri Points to Red Bull’s Recent Upgrades
Oscar Piastri offered a contrasting assessment during the same press conference, highlighting the impact of Red Bull’s upgrades introduced at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The McLaren driver described the upgrades as “very strong” and said Red Bull had since become “the most consistently quick car” across recent races.
The differing views underline the debate over how much of Red Bull’s recent performance comes from its car and how much can be attributed to Verstappen’s execution behind the wheel. With the season approaching its final rounds, the teams will continue searching for performance gains as the drivers compete for crucial championship points.
Championship Battle Intensifies With Six Rounds Remaining
With six rounds left, Red Bull sits fourth in the constructors’ standings, seven points behind McLaren in third.
Verstappen is also fourth in the drivers’ championship with 221 points, eight points behind Lewis Hamilton, who occupies third place with 229 points. Hadjar himself sits eighth with 97 points, reflecting the competition across the field as the season enters its closing stages.