Guenther Steiner branded Isack Hadjar ‘rookie of the yr’ after he completed twelfth within the drivers’ standings with 51 factors, forward of his Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson in 14th with 38 factors.
The French-Algerian driver got here again strongly after a disappointing begin to his season when he crashed in the course of the formation lap of the Australian Grand Prix. He went on to attain his first grand prix podium with a third-place end on the Dutch Grand Prix.
“Isack Hadjar. As a result of over the season, he was the man who was… I imply, all of them did nicely, however Kimi [Antonelli] struggled a number of instances badly, Isack simply struggled in Australia,” Steiner defined on The Pink Flags Podcast when requested who his rookie of the yr was.
“He did not make it to the beginning, however recovered, and for me probably the most spectacular factor from him was that he recovered from that one and was again together with his head on his shoulders the following race in China.”
Hadjar began his rookie season alongside Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls however was joined by Liam Lawson after simply two race weekends because the Japanese driver changed the New Zealander at Pink Bull. Steiner argued that it may have been harder for Hadjar to have a rookie team-mate somewhat than an skilled one.
“If Hadjar had had an skilled team-mate, you be taught faster. He needed to do all of it himself,” he stated.
“I feel that is what makes him much more excellent as a result of if you happen to’ve received a reference in a team-mate you may have a look at the information of that man and be taught from it.
“So it is like he was on his personal. When he had a problem or when he could not discover a set-up, he had no person to take a look at, or if he could not discover a line on the race observe or a braking level, or simply getting higher. He was on his personal. I give him a whole lot of respect for that one as nicely.”
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Workforce
Photograph by: Noushad Thekkayil / NurPhoto by way of Getty Pictures
Hadjar is ready to hitch four-time champion Max Verstappen at Pink Bull in 2026. The Milton Keynes outfit has struggled lately to discover a team-mate for the Dutchman who has been in a position to extract the identical degree of efficiency out of the automotive, main them to make a number of driver modifications.
“He has received that probability which must be a bonus that he does not are available in with a automotive which Max is aware of out and in and he does not,” Steiner defined of Hadjar’s upcoming transfer to Pink Bull, which coincides with the brand new laws in Method 1.
“They each know nothing in regards to the automotive. So that’s to his benefit. I imply to problem Max, it’s worthwhile to be superb, however a minimum of I feel he can maintain the stress on Max. That’s what I anticipate from him as a result of he is doing nicely.”
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