Isack Hadjar Labels Bahrain GP Struggles a "Joke" After Podium Loss

Isack Hadjar has blasted his performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as a "joke" after a sudden loss of pace stripped him of a podium finish. Despite a resilient drive through wet conditions and a climb to third, the Red Bull driver plummeted to fifth in a frantic final sprint, leaving him disillusioned with the car's behavior.

Why it matters:

As Red Bull fights to stabilize its form in 2026, Hadjar's inability to maintain pace in the closing stages highlights a lingering inconsistency in the RB22. While Max Verstappen's victory provides a morale boost, the disparity in performance between the two drivers suggests that the team has not yet fully mastered the chassis' grip and energy deployment across all race scenarios.

The Details:

• Race Progression: Starting 8th due to an engine penalty, Hadjar overcame a formation lap excursion into the gravel to climb to 4th, maintaining that position under pressure from Lewis Hamilton.
• The Collapse: After inheriting 3rd place following George Russell's retirement on lap 50, Hadjar was unable to defend against the Ferraris in the final four-lap sprint.
• Technical Failures: Hadjar reported a critical lack of battery power on the straights and a total disappearance of grip during the final restart.
• Chassis Issues: The driver explicitly ruled out power unit failure, attributing the disaster to chassis-side grip problems that made the car "horrible to drive."

The Big Picture:

Despite Hadjar's personal frustration, Red Bull is making significant strides in the Constructors' Championship. The combined points from Verstappen and Hadjar have allowed the team to aggressively close the gap to McLaren for third place, reducing the deficit from 76 points to just 18 over the last two rounds.

What's next:

Red Bull now faces a critical engineering window before the Singapore Grand Prix. The team must diagnose the specific chassis anomalies and battery deployment issues Hadjar encountered to ensure they can maximize points and potentially leapfrog McLaren in the standings.