Red Bull F1 driver Isack Hadjar has opened up about his crash, the pace he managed to demonstrate in the first few laps of the race, how upset he was over his costly mistake, and the top speed issue he had previously encountered following his early retirement from the 2026 Miami GP on Sunday.
Despite setting the ninth-fastest time in Grand Prix qualifying, the FIA disqualified Hadjar on Saturday evening due to a technical infringement. While the stewards permitted him to start the race from the back of the grid, changing power unit elements and the control electronics unit under parc fermé conditions meant that the 21-year-old started from the pit lane the next day.
Opting for the hard tyres at the start, Hadjar gained three positions on the opening lap and climbed up to P15 by Lap 5. However, his Sunday took a turn for the worse on the very same lap. The one-time podium finisher clipped the kerb, broke his front-left suspension, and found himself out of the race after clobbering the wall at Turn 14.
Hadjar on what caused his 2026 Miami GP shunt and how he felt afterwards
Speaking in the print media pen following his DNF at the 2026 Miami GP, Isack Hadjar reflected on his massive crash and how it unfolded. Shouldering the blame for the incident, he explained that pushing the RB22 beyond its limits had resulted in him losing control of the car.
“I mean, I finally found the limit. The whole weekend I was very close and under control, but yeah, I made a mistake.”
With regard to whether the lack of grip on the hardest compound had made it difficult to tackle the Red Bull, Hadjar dismissed the suggestion.
Highlighting the several positions he gained in the opening stages of the race and the solid pace he showcased at the Miami International Autodrome, the F1 sophomore clarified that the hard tyres were not a factor behind his shunt.
“I felt honestly awesome on those first few laps. It was very easy for me to overtake. Lindblad was the last car I overtook.
“[I was] flying from the pits within just three laps of racing, so I think we had a very good pace. So, to me it was feeling fine.”
Additionally, Hadjar was seen banging his fists against the halo and the steering wheel repeatedly in frustration before climbing out of the cockpit on Sunday.
Asked how it felt sitting there and knowing he had dropped the ball, Hadjar lamented wrecking his RB22 and failing to capitalise on the solid opportunity to score points in Miami.
“This is a tough one. Obviously, breaking the car is pissing me off a lot. And also, I think it was disappointing considering the car I had. So, I just threw it all away.”
Hadjar addresses the top speed problem
Isack Hadjar had also drawn attention to his straight-line speed deficit after Saturday’s qualifying session for the 2026 Miami GP.
In terms of whether Red Bull had managed to get to the bottom of the problem before the 57-lap race, the French-Algerian driver revealed that the Milton Keynes outfit took a big step forward between Friday and Sunday when it came to remedying the top speed complication.
Stating that they are taking the right course of action, Hadjar emphasised how there’s no room for error and that they have to put their best foot forward during the next F1 race weekend in Canada.
“It’s very complicated. They’ve done a very good job through the weekend fixing the issues.
“It was the worst on Friday, and today I think we found something. At least they’re moving in the right direction; we’re not stuck with the same issue.
“But we need to make sure next weekend we get on with it, and there’s no margin for fine-tuning.”
