Isack Hadjar: Carrying Spa’s momentum into the final sprint at the Hungaroring

Red Bull Racing driver Isack Hadjar is keen to build on his comeback at Spa last week when he races in Budapest. The French Formula 1 driver had fought his way up from 21st on the grid to sixth place at the Belgian Grand Prix. He had only started from so far back because he’d received a grid penalty for an engine change beyond the permitted quota. At Spa, this pays off because the engine plays a particularly important role and because overtaking is relatively easy – as Hadjar proved!

Just one week later, the action continues straight away in Budapest. At the Hungaroring near the Hungarian capital, Hadjar aims to build on the positive weekend that his team principal, Laurent Mekies, described as Hadjar’s best race for Red Bull Racing.

Hadjar aims to carry the momentum forward

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, which is the final event before the summer break, Hadjar says: “It’s great to head straight to Budapest after such a positive weekend at Spa and carry that momentum forward.” Reflecting on his weekend in Belgium, Hadjar said: “The car felt really strong throughout the weekend, and the result confirmed that. It was a shame we had to start from the back of the grid, but we made the best of it and are now going into this race with a clean slate.” The engine penalty – which hardly any driver will be able to avoid this season – has been served – and Hadjar even made the best of it.

The Hungaroring suits Red Bull Racing better

And what are Red Bull Racing’s chances in the final race of the first half of the season? Hadjar: “The Hungaroring, with its slow corners, suits us a bit better; that should help us get the most out of our effort.” The track’s characteristics are completely different to those at Spa. From high-speed, long straights and plenty of fast corners to a short, twisty circuit that is often compared to a go-kart track.

Hadjar: “The team and I have been working flat out on this since January. And with a final push this week, we hope to head into the well-deserved break on a high.”

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