Isack Hadjar has shrugged off any concerns over the recent driver shuffle between the Red Bull and Racing Bulls teams that saw Yuki Tsunoda replace Liam Lawson at the former just two Grands Prix into the season.
Despite the turbulence within the Red Bull camp, rookie Hadjar is unfazed by the rapid demotion of his now-team-mate heading into the Japanese Grand Prix.
“A bit sad [that Tsunoda] left [for Red Bull], but it’s definitely gonna be a, a challenge and I know he’s been ready and waiting for it,” Hadjar told Motorsport.com and other media ahead of the Suzuka race. “And I think it’s really cool as well that he gets the call for his home race. So, yeah, wish him the best.”
When asked if the rapid driver change created any pressure or unsettled him, the 20-year-old Frenchman was dismissive: “It’s not concerning me at all, no.”
Hadjar impressed on his first outing in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, narrowly missing out on Q3 by a tenth in what team chief Laurent Mekies called an “unreal” performance. But his race ended before it began as he spun in the wet conditions on the formation lap.
This left him visibly emotional as he walked back to the garage, earning controversial criticism from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who called it “embarrassing.”
The decision to remove Lawson from the Milton Keynes squad has been labelled as one of the most ruthless driver changes in recent F1 history.
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
The Kiwi, initially chosen to replace Sergio Perez for the 2025 season, saw a disastrous start to his campaign, qualifying 18th in Australia, and at the very back of the grid in the sprint and Grand Prix of the Chinese race weekend. He left both races without any points.
In a meeting in Dubai following leaving Shanghai, Red Bull bosses confirmed that they would make an immediate change, meaning Tsunoda will take on the challenging Red Bull for his home race this weekend.
“People often say Red Bull cars tend to have strong front-end grip,” the Japanese driver said. “I personally love cars that turn aggressively, and in the past, I adapted my driving style to that kind of set-up.
“Racing Bulls traditionally had cars that understeered a bit more, which was challenging for me at first. But I got used to it and it eventually became my norm. Now, the key will be adjusting to Red Bull’s characteristics again, but considering my past experience, I’m not too worried about it.”
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