The big Q1 crash of Max Verstappen, caused by a suspected rear lock-up—possibly due to an energy overcharge—didn’t ruin a qualifying session that saw Isack Hadjar shine as the top “other” driver in the RB22. Laurent Mekies commented: “Seeing his commitment translate into a result is truly special.” The Red Bull power unit is strong: both Racing Bulls cars are in the Top-10.
Hadjar shines on a tough track
The surprise of Melbourne qualifying was undoubtedly Isack Hadjar’s third place. On one of the five “black” tracks of the calendar—considered among the most challenging for the 2026 power units—the new Hadjar-Red Bull partnership confirmed its competitiveness, beaten only by the Mercedes cars. A result that a month ago would have seemed bold, but at Albert Park, the timing screen showed that, for now, both McLarens and the Ferraris are behind.
This outcome confirms the exceptional work of Red Bull’s Powertrain department in its first official race. The garage usually celebrates world titles, but today in Melbourne, hugs and handshakes among team members marked the achievement. Mekies said: “We all know how demanding and competitive this sport is—the third place in qualifying today is a huge reward for all the hard work behind the scenes over the past four years.”
Verstappen’s Q1 crash shocks Red Bull
However, qualifying began with a major disappointment. Verstappen went off track on his first flying lap in Q1, a cold shower that didn’t bode well for Saturday in Australia. Max arrived at the Turn 1 braking point with the rear axle completely locked, becoming a passenger in his own car. The team suggested the incident might be linked to “excessive charging,” but investigations are ongoing.
“What happened to Max is obviously very unfortunate,” Mekies explained, “but the most important thing is that he’s okay. We are still trying to fully understand what happened. The loss of grip he experienced seemed very harsh and unusual. We’ll need to analyze the data more thoroughly.”
“I pressed the brake pedal at the first corner and the entire rear axle completely locked,” Max Verstappen confirmed. “I’m fine, I went to the medical center, had my hands scanned, and I’m okay. I need to talk with the team to understand what went wrong; nothing like this has ever happened to me.”
Hadjar’s day in the spotlight
The hero of the day was Hadjar. Laurent Mekies had emphasized ahead of the season how positive his arrival in Milton Keynes had been from day one. “He worked extremely hard over the winter, and seeing his effort translate into a result like this is very special—not just for him, but for the whole team. It’s a fantastic day and he fully deserves it.”
In a driver’s career, a bit of luck is always necessary, and Hadjar seems to be riding a positive wave. Beyond Verstappen’s misfortune, the real good news for Isack is the drivability of the RB22. After several seasons in which Milton Keynes cars had very narrow performance windows, Pierre Waché’s new design seems far more driver-friendly—not just suited to Verstappen.
Red Bull still learning but competitive
According to the team, without the technical problem that sidelined Max, he could have approached the 1:19 limit—a pace sufficient to secure a Red Bull second row but not enough to challenge the Mercedes duo. At this stage, however, the gap to the front row is not frustrating: the real questions that accompanied Milton Keynes over winter were elsewhere.
“Tonight we should all be extremely proud,” Laurent Mekies concluded. “It’s a very positive start to the season. I’m also very happy to have Ford alongside us as a partner—the top executives of the US giant are here in Melbourne—and it’s satisfying to see our other two cars in the top-10 as well. We know tomorrow will be another day; we’ll keep moving forward step by step.”
Isack Hadjar’s qualifying performance in Melbourne marks a definitive coming-of-age for Red Bull’s independent engine era, proving that the RB22 can compete at the sharp end even on the most energy-demanding circuits. While Max Verstappen’s technical “lock-up” serves as a reminder of the teething issues inherent in the 2026 regulations, the overall strength of the Red Bull-Ford package suggests that Milton Keynes has successfully navigated the transition from customer to manufacturer.
Leave a Reply