Isack Hadjar jokes about Liam Lawson payback after Monaco controversy

Isack Hadjar has denied he will help Liam Lawson "on track" after the New Zealander played the team game to his benefit during the Monaco Grand Prix.

The latter intentionally backed up the back during the race in Monte Carlo, affording the former time to complete his two mandatory pit stops without falling down the order.

It was a driving force in the 20-year-old capturing his best result in F1 so far, crossing the line in sixth at the Circuit de Monaco.

Lawson, meanwhile finished in eighth, also his best finishing position in his career and his first haul of points this year.

The Racing Bulls pair triggered a chain reaction, with Williams and then Mercedes behind deliberately managing the pace to allow their team-mates to pit as well.

When asked about Lawson's involvement in the strategy, Hadjar highlighted the "fantastic" job done by the 23-year-old.

"Yeah, it was good. Hadjar told media including RacingNews365. "He did fantastic. He did pretty well to back off, and that was planned. He did well, and I've thanked him enough now, I think."

Conversely, the Frenchman did not feel he had much part to play in the process, instead underlining how the hard work came in creating the strategy and then by putting the two drivers in position to execute it by both qualifying in the top 10.

"I didn't do much... It's Monaco, it's not very hard to back anyone up," he said. "I think what was hard was just to find this idea and was to qualify next to each other.

"That was the hardest thing, too. So if we didn't have both cars in Q3, it wouldn't have worked."

When it was queried how he would pay Lawson back for the role he played in Monaco, Hadjar replied: "Nothing racing related," before treating him to a nice dinner was suggested as an alternative.

"Yeah, something like this, but nothing on track," he responded with a laugh.