Isack Hadjar names Red Bull fear before F1 podium breakthrough

Isack Hadjar has described how he feared he was facing a "weekend outside of the points" after a difficult Monaco GP weekend. 

The Red Bull driver claimed a first podium for the team, with third place in the Principality after overcoming major driveability concerns during the grand prix, in which he felt his engine was going to "explode."

This followed on from a difficult Friday for the Frenchman after an unusual crash at the swimming pool exit wrecked his confidence going into Saturday. 

However, Hadjar rebounded to take fifth on the grid and managed to hold off Mercedes' George Russell over the opening spell of the race, going on to finish fourth on the road before being promoted to third after Pierre Gasly's two five-second pit-lane speeding penalties were applied.

Reflecting, Hadjar explained how he initially feared that after his problems early in the race, he was going to leave Monte Carlo empty-handed.

"I mean, for many reasons, it’s a satisfying result because obviously I started the weekend in the worst way possible," Hadjar told media, including RacingNews365. 

"It’s a track you want to build confidence throughout every lap. You want to be on track, and I felt like I didn’t really have a Friday. If anything, I lost all my confidence in FP2 because I just didn’t have any feeling with my car. 

"In FP3, I made a step by pushing through and being competitive; I gave myself an opportunity for the race, and it paid off. 

"I wish it were going to be an easier race, but I faced so many issues in the car that I really thought it was going to be a weekend outside the points at some point.

"I think very early, from I would say Lap 12, something like that, I started having driveability issues, and it was just undriveable. 

"In Monaco, especially here, it’s not like you can allow yourself to skip using first gear and second gear, and this is where the problem was. 

"It was very hard to drive. I was down on power at some point; also, on the final restart, I still needed to figure out our problems, but I kept pushing."