Isack Hadjar will start the United States Grand Prix from third on the grid, yet the Red Bull driver has described his Circuit of the Americas weekend as “a disaster.” The Frenchman’s frustration stems from a practice programme plagued by track-limits deletions and an inability to complete clean laps on soft tyres, leaving him on the back foot until a late set-up turnaround in qualifying.
The contrast between his qualifying result and his assessment of the weekend highlights how difficult the Austin circuit has been for several drivers to master.
### TRACK LIMITS DOMINATE THE NARRATIVE
Hadjar’s practice sessions were repeatedly interrupted by deleted lap times. The FIA’s strict enforcement of track limits at COTA produced more than 200 deletions across Friday alone, and Hadjar was among those who struggled most to stay within the white lines.
“I mean, it’s been a disaster of a weekend for me,” he said. “I’ve had all my lap times deleted all the time. This morning, I could not complete a single lap on the soft tyres.
“So, yeah, I knew there was something in the car because there were times where I could do half a lap and I felt comfortable, but I could never finish it.”
The combination of elevation changes, gusty winds and inviting runoff areas made the limit particularly hard to judge. For a driver still building consistency in Formula 1, the constant interruptions disrupted rhythm and confidence.
### A LATE SET-UP BREAKTHROUGH
Despite the practice struggles, Red Bull continued to experiment. Hadjar credited a concerted effort on set-up changes for the improvement that arrived in qualifying.
“But in that qualifying, the car really came alive a bit more for me. We really dug deep on the set-up. We tried so many things this weekend, and it really paid off. So, on that note, it’s really, really satisfying.”
The recovery delivered a career-best third on the grid alongside team-mate Max Verstappen in second. For a driver who had spent much of the weekend unable to string together representative laps, the result represented a significant turnaround.
### Q3 LEFT SOME FRUSTRATION
Even with the strong grid position, Hadjar felt more was possible. He identified his first Q3 run as the greater disappointment, believing a heavy tailwind cost him time on a lap that otherwise had potential.
“I’m a bit gutted, not too much about the last lap, but more about the first attempt in Q3, because yes, the track was worse on that final lap and it wasn’t a great lap, but it was the same for everyone. On that first lap, I really felt like I lost so much time with that massive tailwind I got, and I felt like there was a bit more today.
“But yeah, I’m happy with the comeback, let’s say.”
### TYRE STRATEGY IN Q2
Red Bull elected to run used tyres in Q2, a decision Hadjar did not regard as a major handicap given the characteristics of the circuit. He noted that used rubber performs relatively well at COTA, reducing the usual penalty for preserving new sets. While additional new tyres might have offered a marginal gain, he did not believe the strategy significantly compromised his final result.
### FROM DISASTER TO OPPORTUNITY
Starting third gives Hadjar a clear platform to score a strong result on Sunday. Red Bull have shown competitive long-run pace in recent races, and the presence of both cars at the front of the grid strengthens their hand strategically.
For Hadjar personally, the weekend already illustrates two contrasting realities of modern Formula 1. Track-limits policing can dismantle a practice programme and leave a driver searching for answers. At the same time, persistent set-up work and a responsive car can still transform the picture in a single session.
He arrives at the race describing the weekend as a disaster. He also arrives starting ahead of both Ferraris and a Mercedes. How he converts that grid position will determine which version of the weekend is remembered.
