Red Bull praises "fantastic" debut for Isack Hadjar at F1 Australian GP
· Yahoo Sports
Laurent Mekies tipped his hat to Red Bull debutant Isack Hadjar after a very impressive start to the 2026 Formula 1 campaign at the Australian Grand Prix.
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The 21-year-old may have retired early in the Melbourne contest due to a power unit failure, but he impressed until then with third in qualifying and almost taking the lead at race start.
It marked a stark contrast to Hadjar’s predecessors, who have all struggled against Max Verstappen in the sister car, causing that second seat to be a real problem for Red Bull.
Now, the Austrian outfit is confident it’s found the right team-mate for the four-time world champion, especially as Hadjar’s performance came despite various mechanical faults impacting his preparation in pre-season.
“He did a fantastic weekend,” said team principal Mekies. “Coming here, fairly limited mileage in testing, with a bit of lack of luck there, and he came here from the very first lap, FP1, Friday, on the right pace.
“We were able to split the testing programme between the cars, get double the amount of information. He went to qualifying with everything, that means a first time qualifying with these rules, absolutely nailed it. Put the car in P3, which is probably as high as it could have been on Saturday.
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing“So, hats off, really and today, he was on his way to have a mega start before he realised we didn't have the battery charge and I think the pace would have been good enough to fight with the McLaren.”
That would have put him around Verstappen’s finishing position, having risen from 20th - due to his crash in Q1 - to sixth while applying late pressure on McLaren’s Lando Norris, though ultimately coming short.
The early signs are therefore positive, but the issue of no battery charge at race start was prevalent across both Red Bull cars - as was the case at Mercedes before it finished 1-2.
“It's our responsibility to avoid that situation,” added Mekies. “We have been caught by some limitations of the way you can charge and discharge the battery in the formation lap. If we are the only ones who have been caught by that, it means that we have not done a very good job. So, it's what it is.
“Basically, with the unusual behaviours that drivers need to have on a formation lap, with acceleration, braking, acceleration, braking to warm your brakes, to warm your tyres, etc, we ended up in a point where we were unable anymore to get to the right state of charge for the race start.
“We had to build up that battery level through the first lap, which obviously was not enjoyable.”
Photos from Australian GP - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull RacingSam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 TeamAlastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Entertainers
EntertainersAlastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Zak Brown, McLaren
Zak Brown, McLarenMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing BullsSam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing BullsSam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, WilliamsJayce Illman / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariRudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull RacingKym Illman / Getty Images
Alexander Albon, Williams
Alexander Albon, WilliamsMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
The 2026 F1 drivers photo
The 2026 F1 drivers photoSam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesAnni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesAnni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
Sam Brabham drives a Brabham BT-19 on track
Sam Brabham drives a Brabham BT-19 on trackMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac RacingMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac RacingMark Thompson / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull RacingSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Sam Brabham drives a Brabham BT-19 on track
Sam Brabham drives a Brabham BT-19 on trackMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac RacingMark Thompson / Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing BullsAnni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLarenSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLarenRudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLarenRudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLarenDom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLarenSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Carlos Sainz, WilliamsPeter Fox / Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac RacingPeter Fox / Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing BullsMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, MercedesPaul Crock / AFP via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, MercedesLars Baron / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull RacingMark Thompson / Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, FerrariDom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Alexander Albon, Williams
Alexander Albon, WilliamsPeter Fox / Getty Images
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Carlos Sainz, Williams
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Carlos Sainz, WilliamsMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, MercedesJoe Portlock / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLarenPaul Crock / AFP via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, MercedesMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, MercedesJoe Portlock / Getty Images
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 TeamJoe Portlock / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, MercedesMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac RacingPeter Fox / Getty Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin RacingPaul Crock / AFP via Getty Images
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Sergio Perez, Cadillac RacingJames Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariWilliam West / AFP via Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing BullsLars Baron / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariPeter Fox / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesLars Baron / Getty Images
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing BullsJoe Portlock / Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesWilliam West / AFP via Getty Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin RacingWilliam West / AFP via Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull RacingMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariDom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac RacingSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 TeamAnni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesPaul Crock / AFP via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariLars Baron / Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesAnni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Toto Wolff, MercedesMartin Keep / AFP via Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 TeamMark Thompson / Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, FerrariSteven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, MercedesMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesMark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesJoe Portlock / Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesWilliam West / AFP via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesJoe Portlock / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariDom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesSimon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, MercedesMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, FerrariMario Renzi / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesDom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesAnni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesJoe Portlock / Getty Images
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, MercedesJoe Portlock / Getty Images
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