Isack Hadjar insists gap to Max Verstappen isn’t as big as F1 Miami GP qualifying suggests

The fifth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Miami presented a challenging backdrop for all competitors, with its characteristic low-grip surface and elevated track temperatures. For Red Bull Racing, the event was particularly under scrutiny, as the team arrived in Florida sitting an uncharacteristic sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, having introduced a heavily upgraded RB22 chassis aimed at closing the gap to front-runners. The qualifying session for the main Grand Prix saw four-time world champion Max Verstappen secure a strong second position, just 0.166 seconds behind Mercedes polesitter Kimi Antonelli, signaling a potential resurgence for the Austrian outfit. However, his new teammate, Isack Hadjar, experienced a far more tumultuous session.

Hadjar initially qualified ninth on the grid, posting a lap time 0.825 seconds adrift of Verstappen. This significant margin immediately raised questions, especially considering the relatively tight qualifying battles between the newly paired Red Bull drivers in the preceding three rounds of the 2026 season. Across those initial events, the performance gap between Hadjar and Verstappen in qualifying had consistently remained below half a second, indicating a more closely matched contest.

The situation for Hadjar deteriorated further shortly after the session concluded when race stewards announced his disqualification from qualifying due to a technical infringement. While the specific nature of the infringement was not detailed in Hadjar’s immediate comments, such penalties typically relate to non-compliance with technical regulations concerning elements like floor dimensions, fuel flow, or ride height, which can provide an illegal performance advantage. This disqualification meant Hadjar would start the main Grand Prix from the very back of the grid, compounding the disappointment of his qualifying performance.

Reflecting on the session, the 21-year-old Frenchman, currently 12th in the drivers’ standings, attributed the pronounced time difference primarily to his struggle with the distinctive characteristics of the Miami International Autodrome rather than a fundamental lack of pace. "It’s just myself, just driving," Hadjar stated, emphasizing the personal adaptation required. "I think it’s a very tricky track, very low grip with high track temperature, so nothing to do with what we had in the first three rounds."

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Hadjar elaborated on the circuit’s unique demands, describing it as "not a very fluid racing track with good grip." This assessment points to a circuit layout that punishes even minor errors, where optimal tyre management and precise car placement are paramount. Verstappen, renowned for his exceptional adaptability across varied circuit conditions, notably thrived in this environment, a point Hadjar readily acknowledged. "It’s completely different and Max is very good at adapting to these conditions," he conceded.

The challenges for Hadjar were evident throughout the Miami weekend, having also finished 0.961 seconds behind Verstappen during qualifying for Saturday’s sprint race. He detailed specific difficulties encountered during the main Grand Prix qualifying session, particularly in the critical opening sector. "On my side I couldn’t take Turn 1 and once you miss Turn 1, it’s Turn 2 and 3 that are compromised as well," Hadjar explained. The intricate sequence of turns at the start of the lap demands absolute precision, and any deviation can have a cascading effect on subsequent corners, forcing drivers to compensate.

This initial misstep had significant consequences for tyre performance. "On my side it started there and then you heat up the tyres more and then you pay the price for the rest of the lap," he noted. Overheating the Pirelli tyres compromises their peak grip and longevity, making it difficult to extract maximum performance throughout the remainder of the lap. Furthermore, Hadjar highlighted broader issues with the car’s behavior. "On top of that I’m struggling with drivability as well and top speed," he added, indicating a setup or characteristic mismatch with the upgraded RB22 that prevented him from fully exploiting its potential. Drivability in F1 refers to how responsive and predictable the car is to driver inputs, particularly under acceleration and braking, which is crucial on a low-grip surface. A deficit in top speed could point to either a draggy aerodynamic setup or a less aggressive engine mode compared to his teammate.

Despite the significant time gap and the subsequent disqualification, Hadjar remained optimistic about his progress and the underlying potential of the Red Bull package. He drew a clear distinction between his own execution and the sheer mastery demonstrated by Verstappen. "Yesterday, I knew I had to dig deep," Hadjar reflected, referring to the sprint qualifying. "Half of the lap time yesterday was on something I couldn’t control and half was myself. I knew I had to really deliver something more and today when I look at the data I’m happy with what I was able to do."

He ultimately attributed a substantial portion of the performance differential to Verstappen’s exceptional ability to extract every ounce of performance from the car. "Max was way better than me at putting everything together and on top of that a bit more straight line – he did a very amazing job!" This praise for his teammate underscores Verstappen’s consistent capacity to excel even when conditions are far from ideal, a hallmark of his four world championships.

Hadjar was not alone in his struggles with Miami’s challenging track conditions. Mercedes driver George Russell also found himself playing second fiddle to his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who secured a surprise pole position for the German squad. Russell explicitly cited the low-grip nature of the circuit as the primary reason for his comparative deficit to Antonelli, echoing Hadjar’s sentiments and suggesting that the Miami track truly favored drivers who could adapt quickly to its unique demands.

For Red Bull, the Miami Grand Prix presents a mixed bag. While Verstappen’s strong qualifying performance with the upgraded RB22 offers hope for a more competitive season, Hadjar’s struggles and disqualification highlight the ongoing challenge of consistently extracting performance from both cars, especially with a new driver pairing. As the team aims to climb from their sixth-place standing in the Constructors’ Championship, Hadjar’s ability to quickly overcome such track-specific difficulties and integrate fully with the upgraded package will be crucial in the races to come, beginning with the Grand Prix itself and the subsequent round at Imola.

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Jonas Leo

Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.

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