Ninth in Miami as in the Sprint, Isack Hadjar shows a better feeling… but points to a major problem that is holding him back.
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The observation is starting to repeat itself for Isack Hadjar during this 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Ninth on the grid, as in the Sprint qualifying, the Red Bull driver has not managed to take a step forward despite clear improvements in feeling behind the wheel of his RB22.
The Frenchman remains positive about his overall feeling: “Today I felt much better, the whole session except for the last two laps of Q3.” A notable progression, especially in terms of confidence and handling.
A complicated and frustrating Q3
While he seemed to be gaining momentum, Hadjar encountered difficulties at the decisive moment: “In Q2 it was much better, but in Q3 I had problems with downshifts, I was losing time.”
These technical issues prevented the young driver from fully exploiting his potential at the key moment, where gaps are measured in tenths of a second.
But beyond these occasional problems, it is mainly a lack of straight-line performance that worries Hadjar. A deficit he considers particularly penalizing compared to his teammate Max Verstappen, second on the grid.
“In a straight line, there is a lot missing compared to the other car. In the corners I am there, but in the rest there is nothing left.”
A strong statement highlighting an imbalance between the two cars, or at least a different exploitation of their potential.
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A gap difficult to explain
Asked about the origin of this loss of performance, Hadjar remains cautious. He mentions a partial improvement, but insufficient to compete over a full lap.
“It was okay this morning, but it was not quite there on an attack lap. We are missing performance.”
However, the Frenchman qualifies the extent of the problem: “It’s certainly not nine tenths, but there is time to be found.” A way of acknowledging that the gap with Verstappen is not explained solely by this straight-line deficit.
A race to limit the damage?
Despite these difficulties, Hadjar can rely on a positive point: his competitiveness in the corners. An asset that could prove valuable in the race, especially if weather conditions disrupt the hierarchy.
In such an unpredictable weekend in Miami, between heat and threat of storms, the Red Bull driver will have to maximize every opportunity to turn this top 10 into a solid result.
But one thing is certain: without a solution to this lack of straight-line speed, it will be difficult to aim higher.
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