A mysterious issue forces Isack Hadjar to concede ground to Liam Lawson and other rivals – deep disappointment for the rookie at Spa-Francorchamps
Isack Hadjar began his debut Formula 1 season with a remarkably strong performance. The young French driver, competing in his rookie campaign, quickly established himself as the more competitive force within the VCARB garage during the early part of the championship. In the opening nine races of the 2025 season, Hadjar had secured 21 points, significantly outperforming his team-mate Liam Lawson, who had only managed to collect 4 points in the same period. These results came alongside the 10 points scored by former VCARB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda—gathered across his time with the Faenza-based team and Red Bull Racing. Notably, Yuki Tsunoda has failed to finish inside the top ten for the last six Grands Prix.
Up until the Spanish Grand Prix, Hadjar’s debut campaign had unfolded in nearly ideal fashion. However, in the most recent rounds of the championship, momentum appears to have shifted. Liam Lawson has begun to find his rhythm and show more consistency, while Hadjar seems to be encountering new difficulties. The Belgian Grand Prix, held at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, appeared to offer an opportunity for Hadjar to turn the tide—especially following a solid performance in the Sprint Race, where he secured eighth place and earned a valuable championship point.
Yet during Sunday’s main race, things took a turn for the worse. Although Hadjar started the race from a promising P8 on the grid, a yet-unexplained technical issue affected his pace significantly. The problem, which has not yet been publicly detailed, caused the French driver to fall all the way to 20th and last place by the chequered flag. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson capitalised on the situation by securing additional points. The New Zealander has now accumulated 12 points across the last three Grand Prix events and has narrowed the points gap to Hadjar to just six, placing growing pressure on the French rookie.
Hadjar puzzled by strange problem: “The car felt good – I only found out by driving it”
After the conclusion of the Belgian Grand Prix, a deeply disappointed Isack Hadjar expressed his frustration to the media present in the Spa paddock. He revealed that he had been dealing with an issue for the majority of the race that caused him to lose precious time on every lap. He mentioned that the specifics would be shared later but confirmed that he did everything he could under the circumstances. According to the remarks reported by Formula1.com, Hadjar noted that the car was still giving him positive sensations, which only deepened his frustration over the performance loss. He added that this was a disappointment not only for himself but also for the entire VCARB team, as they had the potential to secure a double points finish. Looking ahead, he said the team would aim to bounce back at the next round in Budapest.
From Hadjar’s statements, it appears that the root cause of the issue might not have been a mechanical failure. One possible hypothesis is that something unusual occurred inside the cockpit—perhaps an environmental or ergonomic issue that impaired performance without affecting core car systems. Whether this speculation is accurate or not remains to be seen. Perhaps the team will provide more clarity during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend if they choose to disclose further details.
Contrasting emotions in the VCARB garage: Liam Lawson enjoys strong result
On the other side of the garage, the mood could not have been more different. Liam Lawson reported feeling very satisfied with his performance in the Grand Prix. He said that he enjoyed the race greatly and explained that although transitioning to dry tyres on a still-damp circuit is always a challenging decision, his VCARB car had impressive speed in clean air, allowing him to maintain a strong race pace. The New Zealander highlighted how the team has been consistently focusing on refining every small detail and stressed the importance of carrying this positive momentum into the final race before the summer break. According to Lawson, maintaining morale and form heading into the mid-season pause is now a key objective for the entire team.
In summary, while Isack Hadjar suffered one of the most frustrating weekends of his Formula 1 rookie season due to an obscure and unresolved technical issue, Liam Lawson used the opportunity to close the championship gap between them. With only a few races left before the summer break, and the Hungarian Grand Prix just around the corner, the intra-team battle at VCARB is heating up.
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