Hadjar hails "perfect" Red Bull strategy after charging from P21 to sixth at Spa
Isack Hadjar praised Red Bull's strategy and teamwork after producing one of the drives of the day at the Belgian Grand Prix, climbing from 21st on the grid to finish sixth at Spa-Francorchamps.
After starting from the back of the field following power unit penalties, Hadjar and Red Bull committed to an aggressive strategy from the outset. The team made use of the early Safety Car periods to cycle through the tyre compounds before attempting to reach the finish on a single set of hard tyres.
Although a late third pit stop ultimately proved necessary, the strategy had already lifted Hadjar into contention, allowing him to rejoin in the points and successfully fend off a late charge from McLaren's Lando Norris.
The Frenchman admitted he was delighted with both the result and the execution of the race "I'm very happy with how today played out."
Hadjar revealed that the strategy had been planned before the weekend even began.
"We had a clear plan from the moment we arrived in Spa, so we were able to put everything into getting the most out of the race, and we did exactly that."
Recovering 15 positions was no easy task, but Hadjar credited the team's flawless execution and the pace of the RB22: "From P21 to P6 is not easy, but the strategy was perfect and the pace in the car was strong, so it's been an all-round Team effort."
The early Safety Car played directly into Red Bull's hands, giving the team the flexibility it needed to execute its preferred strategy. Hadjar was quick to praise the Red Bull pit wall for making the decisive calls.
"With the Safety Car, we pitted early to give us options later on, and it worked out perfectly," Hadjar continued. "Credit to the Team for that call."
The 2026 rookie also enjoyed slicing his way through the field: "Going through the pack is always fun, especially with the pace we had, which let me keep the gap to Lando once he started to get closer."
Having targeted a points finish after Saturday's disappointment, Hadjar was especially pleased to exceed expectations.
"The goal yesterday was to get back into the points. We added a few more on top of that to make for a satisfying afternoon."
