Ralf Schumacher has pondered whether a few of Isack Hadjar’s tears in Australia were out of fear over “the harshness of Dr. Marko”, who called his reaction to his formation lap crash “embarrassing”.

Hadjar was the first of this season’s rookie F1 drivers to crash in a Grand Prix in F1 2025. In fact, he did it even before the Grand Prix got underway.

Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap in Australia

Lining up as the best-placed rookie on the Australian Grand Prix grid, the Racing Bulls driver lost control of his VCARB02 as he put the power down on the formation lap, spun and rear-ended the barrier.

His race was over before it even began.

Climbing out of his stricken car, Hadjar kept his visor halfway down as he wiped away the tears that kept falling while making his way back to the paddock, where he was consoled by Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony, on what must have felt like a very long walk back.

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Back in the Racing Bulls hospitality, Peter Bayer had only words of kindness while even Formula 1 supremo Stefano Domenicali made his way down to say a few words to the distraught driver.

It seems everyone but Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko felt for Hadjar at that moment, the Red Bull motorsport advisor telling ORF that the 20-year-old “put on a tearful show” that was “a bit embarrassing”.

But while Hadjar admitted he was “embarrassed” by the experience, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes knowing the wrath of Marko probably added to Hadjar’s reaction.

“I wouldn’t necessarily have cried now, but of course it touches a young man,” Schumacher said. “The first race, a terrific performance up to that point, and then to let the team down like that is of course sad.

“And then you also get a bit scared, I think especially at Red Bull with the harshness of Dr. Marko.”

Schumacher though, did concede that Marko probably didn’t “mean” that Hadjar’s tears were the embarrassing part of the afternoon.

“I don’t know what tears are embarrassing,” he added on the Formel1.de YouTube channel, “but well, we know Helmut, and he certainly doesn’t mean it that way.”

As for Hadjar, he was one of four rookies who didn’t see the chequered flag at the wet Albert Park circuit, the list including Jack Doohan, Gabriel Bortoleto and his stable mate Liam Lawson.

“Just embarrassed and sorry for the team,” said Hadjar. “Overdid it, overslipped the rears and once I lost the car, tried to save it, but was just a passenger. Just not so fast, I didn’t expect.

“I’m just mad. I mean, these mistakes, they can happen, it’s just breaking the car so early in the season really breaks my heart. Really sorry for the team.

“I’m missing out on more experience, my first grand prix, missing out on the wet track.

“I would say I’ve had similar low moments like this, this one is tough.

“But my way to F1 was also quite brutal, and I would say I have a strong chin, but this one definitely hits pretty hard.”

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