Overcoming a Turbulent Weekend in Miami
Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has downplayed recent concerns surrounding Isack Hadjar’s performance at the Miami Grand Prix. Despite a weekend marred by setbacks, the team remains confident in the young driver's potential, viewing the events in Florida as an isolated incident rather than a systemic issue.
Hadjar struggled to find the pace of his teammate, Max Verstappen, throughout the event. His difficulties were compounded when he was disqualified from qualifying due to an issue with his car's floorboards, forcing him to start the main race from the pitlane. While he showed promise early on, climbing to 15th position, his race ended prematurely following a collision with the wall at Turn 15, which he attributed to a lapse in concentration.
Management Remains Supportive
Mekies emphasized that the team does not view Hadjar's crash or his overall performance as a cause for long-term concern. He pointed out that the team itself failed to provide the driver with a clean setup, specifically noting the technical error regarding the car's legality.
«I don't think we should qualify that as a worry. We had a tough weekend. This has not helped our performance. In terms of driving and in terms of rhythm, he still didn't get into the right rhythm,» Mekies stated. «We certainly didn't have a clean weekend. We didn't help him either by sending him from the back of the grid after our mistake with the legality of the car.»
Technical Oversight Acknowledged
The team principal clarified the technical disqualification, explaining that the car’s floorboards were two millimeters too wide. Although this part is a mandatory component, Red Bull failed to identify the discrepancy during standard internal checks before the car entered parc ferme. Mekies characterized the error as a straightforward, albeit painful, oversight that has already been addressed for future races.
Driver Perspective
For his part, Hadjar acknowledged that he was overly ambitious during his recovery drive, which ultimately led to his premature exit from the race. Despite his frustration, he noted that he felt more competitive with the car's upgraded performance compared to previous rounds, even if he couldn't translate that feeling into a consistent result.
«I was too eager and too excited about making those moves and just ruined myself,» Hadjar admitted. «It's the first time I really struggle with my overall pace. This is new and I really need to dig deep because I don't want another weekend like this.»
Looking ahead, Red Bull expects a return to form for both drivers at the upcoming race in Montreal, as the team continues to analyze the data gathered from the upgraded vehicle.