Racing Bulls adapts F1 car for Hadjar: 'Minimal risk'
F1 News
- Savannah Lenz
Racing alongside Yuki Tsunoda will be rookie Isack Hadjar, who's joining Red Bull Racing's junior team, Racing Bulls. Although being a partner with Red Bull Racing has its benefits, it also comes with a downside. With Red Bull Racing moving up their drivers from Racing Bulls, that means that the seats are constantly changing. According to Jody Egginton, Racing Bulls' technical director, that also means that the car has to be adjusted.
"When young drivers are new to Formula 1, they are still evolving, and you've got to keep that in mind." explains the technical director. "You want to give them a car that in F1-terms is user-friendly, so a car that's consistent in its behaviour is not one that surprises. One that has a good set-up window so we can explore with them what they want from the car, and also a car that allows them to learn." An added disadvantage of this is that it means the team cannot readily change the car, which may limit development. "Trying to learn F1, especially at the start of the season and pre-season is an inconsistent or unreliable car is difficult, so you want to give them a platform they can understand. We're running in the simulator in the background, so in parallel, they're learning there. They've also got to learn to give good feedback and understand what's important If I had to pick anything that a young driver needs, it's a consistent car that he can build confidence in. We try to make the experience as user-friendly as possible so that they can learn as quickly as possible at minimal risk and with minimal confusion."
Isack Hadjar
The impact of the junior team is constant and profound, with many big names starting their careers with the outfit now known as Racing Bulls. Drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Mark Webber, Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson, Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda all drove their first meters in Red Bull's sister team. This season, Isack Hadjar will join that list of names. The 20-year-old driver is making the step up to the pinnacle of motorsport having spent the past two years in Formula 2, with a P2 in the final standings of the 2024 season as his best overall result. The French Algerian is taking over from Liam Lawson, another Red Bull junior who was promoted to the main team in replacement of Sergio Perez whose last two seasons at the Austrian team were deemed not up to Red Bull standards.
This article was written in collaboration with Kim Hoefnagel.
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