Isack Hadjar Jokes He's ‘Screwed for the Whole Season’ After Barcelona Crash

Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar clipped the barriers at the fast final corner of Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya during a January shakedown. He later joked that the flood of social‑media criticism made him feel “screwed for the whole season”, a line that helped him shrug off the setback. In Bahrain he’s already logged 146 laps in official testing, working to close the gap to teammate Max Verstappen.

Why it matters:

• Rookie pressure: A crash at Red Bull puts a young driver under intense scrutiny, and the ensuing online backlash can affect confidence.
• Team development: Red Bull’s ability to get a newcomer up to speed quickly is crucial for maintaining its dominance.

The details:

• Crash cause: Hadjar blamed a sudden switch from wet to intermediate tyres for losing grip in the high‑speed corner.
• Team response: Principal Laurent Mekies called the incident “unfortunate but part of the game” and praised the rookie’s attitude after stepping up from Racing Bulls.
• Testing progress: In Bahrain the Frenchman completed 146 laps, focusing on tyre feel and car balance as he adapts to the RB‑19, which he says still doesn’t fully match his driving style.

What’s next:

• Bahrain GP will be the first real‑world test of the car’s evolution; Hadjar will aim to turn his testing mileage into race pace.
• He’s targeting a first‑race win and hopes the 2026‑spec car will be front‑running.
• If the learning curve flattens quickly, he could become a genuine challenger to Verstappen, adding depth to Red Bull’s driver lineup.