Isack Hadjar confirms Red Bull grid penalty upon F1's Malaysia return

Isack Hadjar has confirmed his Red Bull will be hit with a grid penalty at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. 

Hadjar's car has already exceeded its permitted allocation of power unit components in 2026, with the penalties that Liam Lawson took during his stand-in appearances whilst Hadjar was injured, counting towards Hadjar's car and not Lawson as a new driver in the car.

F1's penalty rules state that for the first component used beyond the permitted allocation, a 10-place penalty is awarded, with every subsequent new part worth a five-place drop. 

Hadjar's car has already passed the 10-place drop for each component, and so is set to take a five-place demotion from where he qualifies on F1's return to Sepang.

RacingNews365 has reached out to Red Bull to confirm which component it is exactly that Hadjar will be incurring the five-place drop for. 

Fellow RBPT-Ford engine user Arvid Lindblad for Racing Bulls will be taking a new power unit and has been relegated to the back of the grid.

"I think [Baku] is definitely a track that would have suited our car anyway; the upgrade played its part, but I think doing it on a track which has a more traditional layout [in Sepang] is going to give us a better idea of where we stand," Hadjar told media, including RacingNews365, when asked if he agreed with Verstappen's assessment of Baku being Red Bull's best chance for a win.

"Really, I would expect us to be less competitive on this layout, but if we still manage to fight for a podium this weekend, that would be really good.

"It is a bit difficult for me as I should be taking a five-place [grid] penalty, but even like that, I believe it is true that if you have the race pace, you will go up [the order].

"If we don't, then that means we're not fast enough; that's it."

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An advantage for Red Bull

The last time F1 raced in Sepang was in 2017 - when Verstappen became the final winner of the Malaysian Grand Prix. 

It is an advantage Hadjar feels will be a benefit.

"He knows the secrets of the track," Hadjar said of his team leader.

"Even though I did practice on the sim, in the end, you come in real life, and it is always different. 

"There are always things you cannot simulate, and to have him as the last winner is definitely an advantage, a small one, but definitely an advantage, and I'll make the most of it."