Isack Hadjar already knows he will face an extra challenge at the Belgian Grand Prix in Formula 1. The Red Bull driver confirmed that he will use a new power unit at Spa-Francorchamps and, as a result, will start from the back of the grid regardless of his qualifying result.
The decision was revealed by the Frenchman himself in an interview with Channel+. Despite the penalty, Hadjar showed optimism for Sunday’s race and said he hopes to enjoy the task of climbing through the field as the race progresses.
Another driver who will also face a penalty is Lando Norris. McLaren confirmed that the Briton will drop ten places on the grid after exceeding the permitted quota of electronic components for the power unit. According to the team, Belgium was chosen to serve the penalty because it is a circuit that offers more overtaking opportunities than the upcoming rounds in Hungary and the Netherlands. The aim is to use this fourth component until the end of the season to increase reliability and avoid further penalties.
Hadjar also commented on Red Bull’s decision to drop the rear wing known as the “Macarena” for the Spa weekend. According to him, although the visual difference is substantial, the impact on performance is smaller than it seems. “We still believe we will have a competitiveness similar to the last race, even though this is a less impressive rear wing. We are working to bring the other one back as quickly as possible, but in a safer way,” he stated.
The Frenchman also acknowledged that he escaped by a hair’s breadth from the problems Max Verstappen has faced in recent rounds. “I’ve been quite lucky for two consecutive races. It could have happened to me as well. His problem is my problem, and we need to solve it,” he concluded.
