Laurent Mekies commended Isack Hadjar for advancing from 21st to 6th at Spa, calling it his best performance for Red Bull. Despite a challenging strategy, Hadjar showcased remarkable pace throughout the race.
Laurent Mekies was full of admiration for Isack Hadjar's remarkable drive at the Belgian Grand Prix, where the Red Bull driver climbed from 21st on the grid to finish in sixth place. Mekies, the Red Bull Team Principal, was unequivocal in his assessment: "It was his best race with us, no question."
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit was chosen by Red Bull as the venue to introduce new power unit components, a move that shuffled Hadjar to P21 after penalties. Yet, the circuit's reputation for overtaking played into Hadjar's hands, allowing him to demonstrate his prowess.
Starting from the back, Hadjar methodically worked his way through the field. Red Bull gambled on an aggressive two-stop strategy, switching him early to a long stint on hard tyres. Though the strategy was overly optimistic, necessitating an additional pit stop, Hadjar had already made significant progress. He managed to fend off McLaren's Lando Norris to secure sixth place.
Mekies remarked, "He was very, very strong. His pace was top three pace, so I'm very happy with his progress." Indeed, Hadjar's fastest lap was the third quickest of the race, underscoring Red Bull's strength in Belgium, even while sporting an older rear wing specification.
While Max Verstappen also had a solid outing, finishing third, Mekies acknowledged that the team still has considerable work ahead to consistently replicate such performances. "I still think we are struggling on energy-demanding tracks," Mekies noted. "We've got some homework to do at tracks like this for energy management."
Red Bull's performance at Spa was a testament to both Hadjar's skill and the team's strategy, though Mekies is keenly aware of the challenges ahead. With Budapest on the horizon, the team hopes to continue refining their approach and unlocking further potential.