Isack Hadjar issues stern message after F1 'punch in the face'

Isack Hadjar has stated his formation lap crash at his F1 debut in Australia was a “punch in the face”.

However, the Frenchman highlighted his resilience after bouncing back from the difficult moment, having enjoyed a positive rookie season.

Hadjar was promoted to Racing Bulls last year after narrowly missing out on a Formula 2 title.

His highly anticipated debut ended before it truly got underway as a spin into the barrier during the formation lap in wet conditions brought an early end to his day.

Despite the highly challenging moment, Hadjar went on to have a successful season which peaked with a podium result at the Dutch Grand Prix.

When asked if it could be considered a positive that he got such a low moment out of the way so early in his career, Hadjar told select media including RacingNews365: “You can also look at maybe I would have scored points Melbourne, and then had a good season after that, too.

“But I believe everything happens for a reason and you move on.

“It’s part of my history. My first F1 start. I didn't take part in it, which sucks. But it’s how it is.”

Hadjar's strong performance throughout the year resulted in a promotion to Red  Bull alongside Max Verstappen for the 2026 campaign.

As he looks to take another step forward this year, Hadjar pointed to the painful moment in Melbourne as an example of his ability to bounce back from adversity.

“I know I have strong abilities to get back up on my feet,” he said. “But it shows another big punch in the face and I handled it very well.

“It reinforced this belief I have in [myself].”