Hadjar: Red Bull lacked the fastest car, Verstappen masked it
Isack Hadjar says Red Bull did not have the fastest car in Singapore and that Max Verstappen would have won by more in a Ferrari.
Full text available in Portuguese only. Read the Portuguese version
Isack Hadjar ofereceu uma defesa inesperada do domínio recente da Red Bull: em sua leitura, o carro não é o melhor do grid, e Max Verstappen está cobrindo a diferença.
Falando em Austin antes do Grande Prêmio dos Estados Unidos, o piloto franco-argelino foi convidado a confirmar que Milton Keynes agora produz a máquina mais rápida do grid. Ele recusou, descrevendo um carro que continua exigente de conduzir — dominante na Malásia, mas não o mais rápido em Marina Bay.
Verstappen chega ao Texas embalado por vitórias na Malásia e em Singapura, a última em um fim de semana que ele dominou por completo, com pole para a sprint e para o GP, seguidas de vitória em cada uma.
A diferença para Charles Leclerc em Singapura foi de 7,3 segundos. A tese de Hadjar é que a margem subestima o piloto: coloque o mesmo homem em uma Ferrari, argumentou, e ele “teria vencido com margem maior”.
Detalhes finos sustentam seu argumento, sugeriu. A pole foi conquistada por meio décimo, e a Ferrari entrou na corrida sem pneus macios novos. Verstappen, em sua visão, carregou todas as variáveis para o seu lado e resolveu a disputa no Q3.
Nem todos na sala concordaram. Oscar Piastri, sentado ao lado dele, avaliou muito bem o pacote de atualizações do Azerbaijão e descreveu a Red Bull como o carro mais consistentemente rápido nas rodadas recentes.
Restam 6 rodadas. A Red Bull é quarta no Mundial de construtores, 7 pontos atrás da McLaren; Verstappen é quarto com 221 pontos, caçando os 229 de Lewis Hamilton, com Hadjar em oitavo com 97.
Read also
StandardAutomobilismoFIA stewards explain Leclerc's five-second penalty in Mexico Grand Prix
The FIA stewards explained Charles Leclerc's five-second penalty at the Mexico Grand Prix for overtaking off the track at Turn 4 on the opening lap. The baseline penalty was 10 seconds and was reduced by mitigating circumstances; Hamilton criticised the call.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoFans hail Hamilton's viral embrace with former engineer Bonnington
Lewis Hamilton, 41, congratulated his former Mercedes engineer Peter Bonnington after the Mexican Grand Prix and the embrace went viral. Antonelli clinched the title in his second season by finishing third, behind Verstappen and Hamilton.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoDodge confirms NASCAR Cup Series comeback for 2027, with Kaulig Racing as partner
Dodge will return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027, a year earlier than expected, as the grid fourth manufacturer. The announcement came at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, with Kaulig Racing as anchor team, and the car will be unveiled in December.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoMercedes explain why Russell missed the interviews after the Mexico City Grand Prix
Mercedes explained Russell absence from mandatory interviews after the Mexico City Grand Prix, saying he was shaken by Antonelli title. The team was fined 5,000 euros and Wolff said the driver is devastated; Russell finished sixth after a five-second penalty.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoF1: Italian newspaper uses Antonelli title to poke fun at Ferrari
Gazzetta dello Sport used Antonelli title to needle Ferrari, saying he won “thanks to his talent, his car and for not racing with Ferrari”. The front page read “KiMitico”, a pun on the driver name; Italy had not had an F1 champion for 73 years.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoData behind Carson Hocevar’s brake-check leaves little room to argue: “There’s no denying it”
SMT telemetry recorded up to 1,023 pounds of brake pressure on the No 77 car, and the analysis said the contact with Cindric was deliberate. Letarte said “the evidence is 100% clear”; McMurray does not blame drivers for not admitting it.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoRussell admits 'tough' 2026 as Antonelli takes F1 title
Russell described 2026 as “tough to deal with” after team-mate Antonelli took the F1 title, admitting the season left him often confused. He won three races to the Italian nine and dropped to fourth in the championship after finishing sixth in Mexico City.
Redação
StandardAutomobilismoVerstappen criticises Leclerc five-second penalty at the Mexico City Grand Prix
Verstappen criticised the five-second penalty given to Leclerc in Mexico City and called the cut from the usual 10 seconds “very strange”. He said Leclerc should have handed the place back after cutting Turn 4; Verstappen won, his sixth win in Mexico.
Redação