If you scroll through the standings of the Japanese Grand Prix, right behind the top teams is Isack Hadjar with his Racing Bulls, who managed to secure a beautiful eighth place and his first points of the year, on a track where he had never raced before.
In fact, adding further difficulties to his weekend in Suzuka were some small issues with the seatbelts and seat that he faced both in qualifying and during the formation laps on his way to the grid, which were fortunately resolved before the race started.
But the excellent result for the French driver, one of the three rookies who impressed in Japan along with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman, is also tied to a key aspect, which is the stability of Racing Bulls, who were finally able to capitalize on the potential that had already been seen in the first two Grand Prix but had never been converted into points due to strategic errors.
Both in Australia and China, the Faenza team had failed to score points in the main race due to some tactical missteps, such as staying out in the rain or making two pit stops in a race that was supposed to be a one-stop event, even though their cars had been in contention for strong results, to the point that Yuki Tsunoda could have even dreamed of a fourth place in Melbourne.
The VCARB02 has probably been the most pleasant surprise at the start of the season among midfield teams, not because it lacked potential, but because, after preseason testing, even the team seemed somewhat unsatisfied with the car’s performance. However, since the first Grand Prix in Australia, there have been promising and reassuring signs.
It was speculated that the medium and high-speed corners in Shanghai and Suzuka could challenge the Faenza car, which, like last season’s machine, seems to have its true strength in slow corners, as was evident in Japan where it made the difference in those areas on the dry lap.
However, the results on the last two tracks showed that on tarmac offering plenty of grip, the VCARB02 can hold its own. In Japan, Racing Bulls were the top team among the midfield, confirming that competitiveness that only lacked being fully realized on the finish line.
In a race where strategy played a limited role due to the very low tire degradation, and where Isack Hadjar quickly built a margin of safety that allowed him to manage without the risk of an undercut, Racing Bulls finally brought home points that helped shake up the standings a little.
“Today the maximum was eighth place, and we achieved that, so I think the race was executed perfectly. We left nothing on the table, and the pace was definitely good. Especially with the medium tire in the first stint, I felt very, very strong, and even in the second stint with the hard tire, although Alex Albon was flying, I had a sufficient advantage,” Isack Hadjar commented after the race.
“I think I found a certain rhythm from the first free practices in Melbourne. Then in Shanghai, we earned 4 points quite comfortably [in the sprint]. Here, we put everything together and got points on merit.”
Sure, it’s only the third race of the season, but in a championship where developments will be limited and where midfield teams can face fluctuations due to the still compact gaps, every point can make a difference. With Aston Martin seemingly taking a step back, following the trend already seen at the end of 2024, fifth place doesn’t seem like a mirage, and it’s important to start turning the car’s potential into results right away.
Haas will continue development, likely unlocking more potential from a car in which they have great faith once the bouncing issues are fully understood and resolved, while Williams is waiting for Carlos Sainz to make the difference they expected after getting a handle on the FW47. And this is exactly why starting to convert potential into results right away is so crucial this year, especially as the first major update packages arrive.
Leave a Reply