Racing Bulls: Isack Hadjar vents frustration after F1 Qatar DNF: “It felt like a Lego car”. Isack Hadjar’s promising race at the 2025 Qatar GP ended in frustration after a technical failure forced his retirement.

A bitter end for Isack Hadjar at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix. The young Racing Bulls driver, fighting for a prestigious finish, saw his chance of securing sixth place vanish due to a technical failure that forced him to retire just three laps from the chequered flag.

The failure that ruined the race

Hadjar was running a solid race, on track to match his best result of the season, when the left front wheel deflector suddenly came loose. The damage caused a puncture and an immediate return to the pits.

“The front wing just broke on its own and ended up under the car, cutting the tire, for no reason. It simply broke by itself. Apparently, I’m driving a Lego car.”

Team principal Alan Permane expressed regret over the incident, noting that the problem might have been caused by the track’s aggressive curbs, but assured that the team would investigate thoroughly.

The stewards’ decision

The damaged deflector had been visibly unstable for several laps, but the stewards decided not to penalize Isack Hadjar for continuing with a car in precarious condition. Responsibility was left to the team, in accordance with FIA guidelines.

The FIA explained its decision in a detailed statement:

“The driver reported to the team that the wheel guard was moving. Race control spoke with the team and, in accordance with document F1TM/07-24, transferred responsibility to the team to assess whether the situation was dangerous. In this particular case, none of the predefined conditions applied, therefore we decided not to take further action.”

The situation contrasted with that of Oliver Bearman, who received one of the harshest penalties: a 10-second stop-and-go for being released by Haas with an unsecured rear wheel. The violation was deemed severe, even though the British driver had covered only a few meters.

F1’s unpredictability on full display

The Qatar GP highlighted Formula 1’s unpredictability: a small technical detail can turn a promising race into a bitter retirement. Isack Hadjar lost an important result, but his frustration shows the passion of a young talent eager to make his mark. For Racing Bulls, the incident underscores the urgent need for greater reliability, as in such a competitive championship, even a single failure can erase the work of an entire weekend.