Mekies apologises to Isack Hadjar for reliability woes that hampered his Singapore GP performance

Red Bull Racing’s technical director Laurent Mekies publicly acknowledged that the team owes French rookie Isack Hadjar an apology after a series of reliability problems curtailed the young driver’s Singapore Grand Prix weekend. In a post‑race interview, Mekies said, “We owe him one,” referring to the multiple technical gremlins that prevented Hadjar from delivering the performance he had shown in the practice sessions.

Hadjar, who joined Red Bull’s junior programme earlier this season, had been touted as a potential future star after impressive runs in the early races. In Singapore, however, his RB‑19 suffered a gearbox failure during qualifying and a subsequent power‑unit glitch in the race, forcing him to start from the back of the grid and finish well outside the points. Mekies’ admission marks a rare moment of public contrition from the team, which has generally been tight‑lipped about internal issues.

The Frenchman’s misfortune comes at a crucial stage in the championship, as Red Bull is battling Mercedes and Ferrari for the Constructors’ title. While Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez continue to collect podiums, the team’s ability to extract maximum performance from its junior drivers could influence the depth of its driver line‑up for 2025. Mekies hinted that the team will conduct a thorough review of the RB‑19’s reliability package, promising upgrades before the next race in Japan.

For Indian fans: The Singapore Grand Prix aired live on FanCode at 9:00 pm IST on 22 September, with a replay available on the platform’s on‑demand library. Mekies’ comments were highlighted in the post‑race analysis segment, offering insight into Red Bull’s internal dynamics. As the season progresses, Indian viewers can keep an eye on Hadjar’s development – a driver who may become a regular name on the grid and a potential favourite for the growing fan base in India.

Source: Formula1.com