This year, Isack Hadjar is making his Formula 1 debut with Racing Bulls, but even before he has driven his first race, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has already issued him a warning. The 20-year-old Frenchman is known for his fiery outbursts over the team radio, something Marko does not tolerate. Hadjar has now promised to better control his emotions.
Clear Message
Within the Red Bull program, Hadjar is not the first driver to be reprimanded for his outbursts over the team radio. Yuki Tsunoda was also known for years for his unfiltered tirades. Marko expressed criticism about this in 2022: “If you’re swearing in the middle of a turn, you’re simply driving slower. In addition, an engineer has no use for feedback that only consists of swearing. We need to know exactly what is going wrong with the car.” Tsunoda has since adjusted his behavior and was even praised for it by Marko in 2023. Now it’s Hadjar’s turn to undergo the same development.
Hadjar Promises Change
In the Inside Line F1 podcast, Marko emphasized that Hadjar needs to be less distracted and focus more on consistent performance. “He is fast, but he needs to keep his emotions under control. Take Monaco as an example: due to the safety car, another driver suddenly appeared in front of him on the track, and instead of immediately attacking, he was complaining over the radio. He needs to focus on the important things and make fewer mistakes.”
Hadjar, who is transitioning from Formula 2 to Formula 1, is aware of his temper and outbursts. In a conversation with L’Equipe, he admitted that he will adjust his way of communicating. “Yes, getting angry over the radio is seen as a weakness by some, but it doesn’t matter much to me. I know why I do it and I am aware of it,” he explained. However, he understands that things need to change. “We’re going to eliminate that this year, that’s all. I will just scream inside myself and then no one will hear it.”
