While Max Verstappen managed to save an important comeback in Melbourne, Isack Hadjar’s race ended prematurely. The young French driver had started third and looked poised to fight for a podium finish, but a power unit issue forced him to retire on lap eleven, with the engine failing completely.
Hadjar senses trouble from the first meters
Hadjar revealed that he knew something was wrong immediately after the start. “I knew the engine was going to blow after Turn 1, the sound changed completely right after the start. Temperatures were high. The only positive was that I had a super launch, but then I had no more battery. It felt like driving a V8 Supercar. It’s a shame because I followed all the procedures correctly. The sound was ridiculous and I knew at some point it would fail. And when I thought, ‘Oh, I’m in the lead,’ I suddenly had no power. For a couple of laps I spent time trying to recover it. The engine sounded terrible, so I knew I wouldn’t finish the race. It’s a shame. I think I could have gone head-to-head with Lewis, I believe.”
Battery issues surprise drivers on the grid
Hadjar, along with other drivers starting in the top positions, began the race with depleted battery energy. This scenario caught most drivers off guard, as there had been no opportunity to simulate this situation during pre-season testing. Andrea Kimi Antonelli experienced a similar issue, unable to perform proper burnouts due to the low battery, causing him to spin at the lights because the rear axle hadn’t reached optimal temperature. Hadjar explained: “Starting the race without energy wasn’t a failure. We just need to do things better and avoid this situation in the future. We couldn’t simulate this scenario during the six days of testing or even in free practice. It was a new case. Doing it in a race is different, but it was still a good learning experience.”
Engine temperatures caused the retirement
Regarding the engine failure, Hadjar added: “I think the issue was temperature-related, not the battery. And the engine sounded terrible. I knew it was going to blow. I followed all the correct procedures up to the start. And that’s how it went.” The early retirement inevitably left a bitter taste, especially considering the potential Hadjar had demonstrated throughout the weekend.
What could have been
The former Racing Bulls driver reflected on what he would have liked to achieve had the car performed as it did during Friday sessions. “No, this is not what I wanted. I would have loved the car to behave like it did on Friday, when the pace was good, the engine delivery was smooth, everything worked. In that case, it would have been great. With the start I had, it’s certain we would have gone into the lead. Then we would have enjoyed battling with the others. And I would have liked to at least finish the race.”
This technical failure marks a significant setback for Isack Hadjar as he looks to establish himself within the Red Bull family. The team will now head to the next round looking to resolve the cooling and energy deployment issues that hampered several of their cars in Australia. Ensuring a reliable package will be essential for the young Frenchman to turn his undeniable qualifying speed into race results and engage in the wheel-to-wheel battles fans are eager to see.
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