Isack Hadjar speaks after his impressive P3 debut with Red Bull at the 2026 F1 Australian GP, delivering one of the standout performances of qualifying at Albert Park. The 20-year-old Frenchman, promoted to Oracle Red Bull Racing for the 2026 season, placed third on the grid, outpacing the Ferraris and McLarens.
George Russell took pole with Kimi Antonelli 0.293 seconds behind, and Hadjar slotted into third roughly eight-tenths off the benchmark. However, the gap to Mercedes reflects a performance deficit that Hadjar himself admitted was concerning.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s usual benchmark, Max Verstappen, suffered an early exit after crashing in Q1 without a time on the board. His absence from the remainder of the session meant Hadjar effectively carried Red Bull’s challenge at the front of the field.
Speaking during the post-quali conference, Hadjar suggested the outcome was not necessarily representative of the expected competitive order heading into the race weekend. He said:
“It was a very smooth qualifying. The run-up to qualifying, the whole weekend, was a bit difficult. We are not really in a position to fight for a top three. I felt like the Ferrari, the McLaren were a bit clear of myself, but we kind of built up to it the whole qualifying session and that was a very good last lap.”
Hadjar felt the session come together with every lap
Isack Hadjar’s qualifying was especially notable because of the progression he and the team found. The Red Bull F1 driver improved with each run as both confidence and car balance developed, which he claimed was probably the first time in his career that has happened. Reflecting on the overall approach, he described a session that unfolded calmly, with consistent improvements lap after lap.
“Honestly, it was a very chill session. There was no drama for me. Also, it’s the first time, I think, in my small F1 career that lap after lap I found lap time, even on used tyres. So I was just building up to it. We did a very good job being consistent with the energy deployment management through the lap, so that was very consistent compared to yesterday, which was quite bad.
“So yeah, the approach was… it’s the first time in my career it’s that easy to put a car in the top ten, so then it makes the whole process a lot easier.”
Hadjar wants to be measured against Verstappen
Verstappen’s early exit inevitably shifted some attention towards Hadjar’s performance. However, the Frenchman made it clear he would have preferred a direct comparison with his Red Bull F1 teammate during the session.
“Actually, no. I might be P3, but if Max was actually running the whole session then I don’t know if I would be here. So that’s a shame. I want to compare myself with the best and today that didn’t happen, so we’ll do that next time in China.”
While the result placed Hadjar on the second row for the 2026 F1 Australian GP, he remained cautious about Red Bull’s overall pace relative to Mercedes.
“Yeah, take a better start, but then it’s going to be… they’re just too fast at the moment. So, I want to keep my position. A second podium could be good.
“And I think after Turn 1, if we keep our position then we have a good race, I think. But yeah, we simply don’t have the pace to win.”
“We have the same car”: Isack Hadjar speaks about the air around Red Bull’s second F1 seat aftee 2026 Australian GP qualifying
Teams and drivers have repeatedly spoken about the championship being decided by how they develop their car. Hadjar too pointed to the broader development trajectory of the season when discussing the RB22. According to him, the Melbourne weekend may not reflect the car’s long-term competitiveness.
“Honestly, what happens in Melbourne, it just doesn’t really matter compared to the car we’re going to have at the end of the year. There’s going to be so many… the progression curve is so steep that it’s going to be a lot different.
“So, at the moment we know our weakness. We have a reliable car underneath, which is positive, but we’re just lacking pure performance at the minute.”
Drivers have held split opinions on the new regulations, with most of them on the criticising end. Russell, however, admitted to find the new regulations interesting and when asked about his opinion about them, Hadjar said:
“I think the chassis is pretty good, and the rest, I’m not a fan.”
Hadjar also addressed the wider narrative surrounding Red Bull’s second F1 seat, which has historically been a difficult position alongside Verstappen. All his predecessors have tried but failed to match the four-time champion and have been shown the gate or were demoted to other positions. However, Hadjar remained straightforward about it.
“I mean, we have the same car, so it’s who drives better that does the better job and has the better results. So yeah, that’s it.”
Hadjar is now firmly in the spotlight heading into Sunday’s race after his stellar P3 qualifying. With Verstappen starting from the back of the grid, Red Bull’s immediate hopes at the front for the 2026 Australian GP will largely depend on Hadjar’s ability to convert that strong grid position into points.
