Rising Formula 1 talent Isack Hadjar has called on Red Bull to urgently address ongoing issues with its race-start procedures after a difficult opening lap at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona severely compromised his race.
The young French driver endured a nightmare launch from the grid despite securing an impressive sixth-place starting position. A poor getaway immediately dropped him down the order and forced him into a challenging recovery drive for the remainder of the race. Although Hadjar eventually fought his way back to finish sixth and secure his third consecutive points-scoring result, he admitted that the race was made significantly harder by problems that had been apparent throughout the entire weekend.
Speaking after the race, Hadjar revealed that his struggles were not limited to Sunday alone. According to the 21-year-old, every practice start he completed during the Barcelona weekend had been problematic, with the race start proving to be the worst example.
The Red Bull driver explained that he experienced issues during all six practice launches leading up to the Grand Prix, making it difficult to build confidence in the car’s starting procedure. Unfortunately for Hadjar, the most critical start of the weekend turned out to be the poorest one.
He disclosed that he stalled the car twice during the race-start sequence, something he had not experienced at any point earlier in the 2026 season. The unexpected problem immediately cost him several positions and left him battling through traffic rather than challenging the frontrunners.
Hadjar did not hide his frustration when discussing the situation, suggesting that the current starting process is overly complicated and places unrealistic demands on drivers. He argued that the system requires an almost impossible level of precision, making it difficult to execute consistently under race conditions.
The Frenchman emphasized that Formula 1 drivers are human and cannot be expected to perform every action with machine-like accuracy. He believes Red Bull must simplify or improve the procedure because the current approach is not delivering reliable results.
Despite the setback, Hadjar demonstrated impressive pace during the race. After dropping into the midfield, he methodically worked his way through slower cars and eventually returned to the points-paying positions. His strong recovery showcased both his speed and determination, further highlighting what might have been possible without the disastrous start.
However, once he cleared the midfield pack, Hadjar found himself isolated on track. The gap to the leading group was too large to close, while the cars behind posed little threat. As a result, the remainder of the race became a lonely affair.
The young driver admitted that the situation made for a relatively uneventful afternoon. After completing the difficult task of overtaking the midfield runners, he spent much of the race circulating alone, unable to challenge the front-running cars or engage in meaningful battles.
While securing another top-six finish was a positive outcome, Hadjar’s comments make it clear that Red Bull faces important work before the next race weekend. If the team can solve its recurring launch issues, the talented Frenchman believes he can convert strong qualifying performances into even better race results in the future.
