Isack Hadjar discusses Red Bull’s performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, highlighting the challenge of catching Ferrari. Read his insights on a difficult firs
Isack Hadjar has offered his perspective on Red Bull‘s initial performance during the first day of the Hungarian Grand Prix. He acknowledged that Red Bull faces the challenge of closing the gap to Ferrari, noting that his day progressively became more difficult.
The start of the weekend was demanding, with many drivers contending with dusty track conditions at the Hungaroring. Despite this, Hadjar began strongly, securing the fourth-fastest time in FP1, though he was 0.922 seconds behind Charles Leclerc.
As the wind intensified in the second practice session, making car balance more challenging, Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton improved their times. Hadjar, however, dropped to sixth place, expressing frustration over the increased distance to his competitors. He described FP2 as “very tricky,” stating that the wind made it difficult to assess the impact of changes made to the car.
Hadjar observed that the Ferraris consistently appeared stronger. He emphasized the need for Red Bull to find significant lap time improvements overnight. While their long-run pace seemed promising, he noted a deficiency in their one-lap speed.
Ferrari’s Early Pace and Competitors
Regarding Ferrari‘s early performance, Hadjar indicated he anticipated their speed on this type of track. He mentioned that Red Bull is currently awaiting Mercedes to improve their pace, and he expects a close competition with the McLarens.
In the previous race at the Belgian Grand Prix, Hadjar executed a notable recovery drive. Starting from 21st position due to a grid penalty, he advanced through the field to finish sixth. His teammate, Max Verstappen, achieved a podium finish in the same race.
However, the distinct characteristics of the Hungaroring have altered Red Bull‘s momentum. Technical Director Pierre Wache stated that the team has “a lot of work to do,” acknowledging that their current position is not where they aim to be.
Wache noted that both Red Bull drivers are dissatisfied with the car’s balance. He highlighted the very low grip levels on the track on Friday and the impact of track bumps on the car’s balance. He also anticipated that Ferrari would be quicker in certain corners and possess an advantage, particularly in one-lap performance, adding that Ferrari has the car to beat at this event.
Practice Session Highlights
Ferrari recorded the fastest times in FP2 for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest lap ahead of Charles Leclerc. Hamilton‘s best time was 1 minute 18.729 seconds, which was 0.148 seconds quicker than his teammate Leclerc, who had led FP1.
Lando Norris of McLaren secured the third-fastest time, nearly half a second off the leading pace. The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag when Franco Colapinto of Alpine spun and made contact with the barriers at the final corner.
Colapinto was positioned ahead of Lance Stroll, whose Aston Martin could not be repaired after suspension damage ended his first practice session early. After the red flag, FP2 resumed with 26 minutes remaining, allowing drivers to complete qualifying simulations on soft tires.
Max Verstappen finished fourth, nearly seven-tenths of a second behind the leader. He reported issues with a “super stiff” rear axle and insufficient rear grip during his medium-tire long run. Verstappen also collected debris on the track but sustained no significant damage.
George Russell of Mercedes completed the top five, 0.933 seconds off the pace. His teammate and championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, was 13th, being the only driver to set his fastest lap on medium tires instead of softs. Antonelli, nearly two seconds slower than the fastest time, experienced rear lockups under braking while trying to optimize his setup during FP2.
Isack Hadjar secured sixth place for Red Bull, 1.071 seconds behind the fastest time. Liam Lawson, driving an upgraded car for Racing Bulls, was three-tenths of a second behind Hadjar. Oscar Piastri was eighth, 1.372 seconds off the benchmark, with McLaren having changed the rear wing on both of their cars for the session. Nico Hulkenberg was ninth, just two-hundredths of a second behind Piastri, and Arvid Lindblad was tenth, 1.524 seconds off the pace.
Gabriel Bortoleto finished 11th for Audi, closely followed by Esteban Ocon of Haas in 12th, with less than a tenth of a second separating them. Pierre Gasly was 14th, while Ollie Bearman of Haas, and the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz followed. Valtteri Bottas, in 18th for Cadillac, was nearly three-tenths faster than 19th-placed Fernando Alonso, who reported vibrations from his Honda power unit.
Source: formula1.com
