Under-the-radar F1 driver praised for "quietly executing business"

Formula 1’s under-the-radar star doesn’t make many headlines but has been praised for “quietly” gliding through the start to 2025.

Isack Hadjar is one of six F1 rookies this year but has rarely appeared inexperienced since a rocky debut.

In Australia, Hadjar was reduced to tears when he crashed out of the formation lap and needed Lewis Hamilton’s father to console him.

“Since then he’s bounced back in phenomenal form,” Sky Sports’ Jamie Chadwick analysed.

“He has quietly executed his business, picking up points.

“[Saudi Arabia] was a great race. He went long initially and managed to sneak himself into the points.

“He battled the Williams at the end. The teamwork of the Williams kept him at bay.

“To pick up a point for the Racing Bulls was an impressive job.”

Isack Hadjar was 10th last time out in Saudi Arabia. His best result this year has been P8.

The French talent sits 15th in the drivers’ standings after five rounds, notably above Carlos Sainz, teammate Liam Lawson, and Fernando Alonso.

Bernie Collins picked up on some frustration that he couldn’t score more than one point in Saudi Arabia.

“Listening to Hadjar’s radio, that’s the most annoyed I’ve heard, when he was trying to get the Williams, how to attack,” she noted.

Liam Lawson told about ‘things he needs to avoid’

Hadjar’s form is more eye-catching because of the volatile environment he is the background of.

His teammate changed after just two rounds, when Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to Red Bull and Liam Lawson was dropped in at Racing Bulls.

Hadjar has outperformed Lawson in each of their three grands prix as teammate.

Ex-F1 race strategist Collins said about Lawson, who was 12th in Saudi Arabia: “It was a recovery drive.

“Lawson will feel that he’s got to build up. He has come back in not the best mental state, we suspect.

“He has to slowly build back into it.”

Lawson was hit with a 10-second time penalty at the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, relegating him one place after crossing the line in 11th.

The stewards judged that he left the track when overtaking Alpine’s Jack Doohan.

But it did not impress Chadwick, who said: “Stuff like that? Things he needs to avoid…”