Isack Hadjar called for caution after securing second place in FP2 at the Singapore Grand Prix. The 21-year-old driver impressed in the chaotic second practice session at Marina Bay, despite multiple red flags, following a relatively calm FP1. By the end of the day, Racing Bulls found themselves in second place, thanks largely to Hadjar’s performance.
After finishing seventh in FP1, Hadjar improved significantly in FP2, posting the second-fastest time, just 0.132 seconds behind Oscar Piastri, who led the session. Despite the surprising result, the young French driver chose to temper expectations, stressing that “we’re not as fast as we seem.”
The Faenza-based team is still riding the wave of momentum from recent successes. Hadjar earned his first Formula 1 podium in Zandvoort, and last weekend in Baku, the Red Bull sister team scored double points finishes. This weekend, Racing Bulls appear to have a strong pace, although Isack Hadjar believes Aston Martin may be faster than they have demonstrated.
Isack Hadjar’s comments on FP2
When asked about his performance, Isack Hadjar responded positively but emphasized caution in interpreting the result. “Yes, I mean, the car is working well. I feel comfortable on this track, even though it’s my first time here, I really like it. But to be honest, we’re not as fast as we seem,” the French driver admitted.
He added: “We’re still in the race, but I keep thinking that Aston Martin is faster. We set our lap quite late in the session. We are struggling to get the tires up to temperature on the first flying lap, so there’s still work to do.”
FP2 in Singapore was interrupted by two red flags: the first caused by George Russell, followed by Liam Lawson. The session also saw a pit-lane incident involving Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. Asked how he coped with all these interruptions, Isack Hadjar admitted they were quite frustrating.
“Really annoying. It wasn’t nice dealing with the traffic. Every time I went out for a lap, I found some traffic, then I’d have a good lap, and then there was a red flag. So it was a bit frustrating, but we managed it very well,” concluded Isack Hadjar.
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