Austrian GP Qualifying: Hadjar Faces Frustration as Lawson Shines
Red Bull Ring, Austria — Isack Hadjar’s promising start in Q1 was overshadowed by a disappointing Q2 exit during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls driver, who recorded a competitive lap time of 1:05.063s in Q1, ultimately qualified P13 for Sunday’s race, a setback he labeled a "nightmare."
Despite the potential shown in Q1, where his time would have secured a spot in Q3, Hadjar struggled with understeer and unprepared tires in Q2. "I don’t know how we can go backwards from that," he remarked, expressing confusion over the lack of performance consistency. Hadjar continued, detailing his Q2 experience: "Tons of understeer in high speed, tyres not ready for Turn 1, just a nightmare. It’s deeper than this."
In his debut Formula 1 season, Hadjar currently stands 10th in the drivers’ standings, outperforming teammate Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. While his performance fell short, Lawson managed a solid P6, reflecting on improvements made to both the car and himself. "It’s been nice to show it today, but tomorrow is the important day," he emphasized.
The focus shifts to race strategy as the team looks to leverage Hadjar’s race pace amidst a challenging qualifying outing. With new tires available, there remains optimism for both drivers as they prepare for the main event on Sunday.
As the race weekend unfolds, the dynamics between Hadjar’s struggles and Lawson’s success will be critical to the team’s overall performance at the Red Bull Ring.
