Problems at Racing Bulls: Isack Hadjar experiencing cockpit struggles

Isack Hadjar is struggling during qualifying at Suzuka, clearly battling with the Racing Bulls car. The young Frenchman, now teammates again with Liam Lawson after the New Zealander’s brief Red Bull stint, was heard multiple times over the team radio expressing his frustration.

“Mate, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I just can’t focus like this. I can still find so much lap time, but the car is just not drivable,” Hadjar said over the radio.

The issue, as confirmed by the team, was with the seat belts or straps in the car, which made it difficult for Hadjar to concentrate. Despite the discomfort, he still managed to make it into Q2—a solid effort under the circumstances.

Lawson also advanced to Q2, marking his best qualifying result of the season so far, even after driving two races with Red Bull. Racing Bulls is now working hard to resolve Hadjar’s cockpit issues to give him a better shot in future sessions.

Follow along with qualifying by clicking here.

This article is written in collaboration with Marnik Kok