Isack Hadjar Claims Ferrari Outpaced Red Bull at Singapore GP

Red Bull's Isack Hadjar has sparked debate by claiming the RB22 is not the fastest car in the current field. Despite Max Verstappen's victory in Singapore, Hadjar believes Ferrari's SF-26 possessed superior raw pace and that Verstappen's win was a testament to driver skill rather than machine dominance.

Why it matters:

This internal critique from within the Red Bull camp reveals a growing concern regarding the RB22's handling characteristics. As the 2026 season reaches its critical final stages, the admission that the car is "hard to drive" suggests that Red Bull's technical edge may be slipping, potentially shifting the competitive momentum toward Ferrari's superior chassis balance.

The details:

• The Singapore Discrepancy: While Verstappen won from pole, beating Charles Leclerc by 7.335 seconds, Hadjar insists the SF-26 was the true benchmark for pace during the weekend.
• Hadjar's Reliability Nightmare: The comments follow a disastrous weekend for the French-Algerian driver, who suffered a PU failure in the sprint and a total gearbox collapse in qualifying, forcing him to start 22nd and finish 10th.
• Handling vs. Power: Hadjar explicitly noted that while the RB22 was dominant in Malaysia, its handling in Singapore was suboptimal, making it a difficult platform to push to the limit.

The big picture:

The 2026 regulations have fundamentally shifted the competitive balance of the grid. The rise of the SF-26 as a potential pace-setter indicates that the championship battle is no longer just about raw power, but about how driveable a car is across varying circuit profiles—a area where Red Bull currently appears vulnerable.

What's next:

As the paddock arrives in Austin for the United States Grand Prix, the focus shifts to whether Red Bull can resolve these handling quirks. Hadjar is seeking a clean run in Texas to recover from his recent reliability woes, but the broader question remains: can the RB22 reclaim its status as the fastest car, or has Ferrari found the definitive edge?