Hadjar backs FIA stewards after Mexican GP fan altercation

Isack Hadjar has backed the FIA stewards’ decision to issue him a formal warning after he pushed a fan ahead of Mexican Grand Prix practice, saying officials “understood my point” following an incident he described as an invasion of his personal space.

Why it matters:

The case highlights the growing friction between drivers and fans in F1’s increasingly crowded paddock, where security and access boundaries are under fresh scrutiny.

The details:

• The stewards found Hadjar committed misconduct when he pushed a paddock guest who had approached him for a selfie and placed a hand on his back.
• Their verdict accepted mitigation: Hadjar was late for FP1, the approach was uninvited and aggressive, security was insufficient, and the guest had invaded his private space.
• Hadjar said the stewards “took the right decision” and that the issue is not unique to Mexico. “It can happen anywhere,” he said, adding that drivers need space while working.
• He also agreed with Max Verstappen’s description of the modern paddock as a “zoo,” saying it “needs to chill a bit.”

The big picture:

The warning closes the incident without a sporting penalty, but it reinforces a wider concern: drivers want clearer limits on fan access. Hadjar’s comments suggest the debate over paddock security is unlikely to fade.