Battery Woes Cost Hadjar a Podium Finish in Sepang

Isack Hadjar is not one to easily accept defeat, especially when a podium is within reach. The Red Bull driver, known for his high standards, was visibly frustrated when a battery issue in the final laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia cost him a shot at the podium. Starting from eighth due to a penalty, Hadjar had maneuvered his way up the field, only to finish a disappointing fifth.

The race began with Hadjar making a smart call on intermediate tires, allowing him to leapfrog several cars that had opted for slicks. By the sixth lap, he had climbed to fourth place, right behind the fierce battle involving his teammate Max Verstappen and the Mercedes duo, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. However, Hadjar's momentum hit a roadblock as he struggled with grip issues, unable to keep up with the frontrunners and puzzled by the sudden drop in performance.

"Something was definitely wrong," Hadjar remarked. "It's hard to believe I could be a second slower per lap, especially when we were faster than Mercedes all weekend. Suddenly, in the race, the car was a nightmare to drive."

The Frenchman was taken aback when informed over the radio that he was in a tussle with Lewis Hamilton, who had been trailing far behind earlier in the race. "He was 15 seconds back, and suddenly he's right there," Hadjar noted. "We need to sort this out and aim to do better in Singapore."

During the final Safety Car period, Hadjar was sitting in fourth. He gained a position when Russell retired, but the restart brought new challenges. A battery issue left Hadjar vulnerable, and he was overtaken by both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the closing stages.

Reflecting on the race, Hadjar was candid: "Those last laps were a mess. I had no battery, so I couldn't fend off the Ferraris. We lost a podium over something trivial. The power unit felt fine, but the battery just vanished at the restart. It came back after a few laps, but by then, the damage was done."

The battery problem was just one part of the puzzle. Hadjar also struggled with the car's grip, noting, "Even behind the Safety Car, it felt like I had no grip. It was like I was on the wrong compound the whole time."

While it was a day of triumph for Verstappen and Red Bull, who celebrated their first win of the season, Hadjar had little reason to join the festivities. "It's a disaster for me," he admitted. "I'm happy for the team, but personally, it's a race I'd rather forget."