Isack Hadjar takes aim at 'idiot' F1 driver in untelevised radio message
An untelevised team radio message from Isack Hadjar during the Japanese Grand Prix has revealed him lashing out at another driver.
It's now been three races since the start of the 2026 Formula One season, and it's safe to say that Red Bull are not having a strong start.
Across the opening races, the Milton Keynes based team have scored just 16 points, with their best finish being Max Verstappen coming sixth in the opening race of the season in Melbourne.
Last weekend in Japan, the Dutchman suffered a rare Q2 exit and finished eighth while teammate Hadjar crossed the line outside of the points in 12th.
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Hadjar had a frustrating race at Suzuka, as he struggled to make it past Arvid Lindblad, the only rookie this season who replaced Hadjar at Racing Bulls at the start of the season.
So much so, that in a radio message that didn't make the broadcast, the Red Bull driver could be heard calling Lindblad an “idiot” after finally getting past him due to pit stop strategy.
On Lap 18, Lindblad decided to come into the pits first to to guard against the undercut, with Hadjar coming in a lap later.
“What happened to that idiot? Ha," Hadjar asked race engineer Richard Wood as he came out of the pits.
To which Wood replied: “Don’t worry about him, mate. Eyes forward. Ocon’s ahead, let’s get him.”
Speaking after the race, Hadjar criticised Lindblad’s tactics during the race, particularly after he allowed Verstappen to pass earlier in the race but continued to battle with the Frenchman.
He said: “He let Max through and defends against me. It makes sense for him, but it was not very useful for both of us.
“But it’s OK. He’s young.”
The rivalry between Lindblad and Hadjar will no doubt be an ongoing storyline throughout the 2026 season, with Red Bull clearly eager to promote Racing Bulls drivers to partner Verstappen whenever they feel it is necessary.
Since Sergio Perez left Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and Hadjar have all moved up from Racing Bulls to take the Red Bull second seat, to varying levels of success.
Topics: Red Bull Racing, Formula 1
Ben McCrum