Isack Hadjar finished the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix this Sunday (the 25th) quite frustrated, urging Red Bull to redesign its clutch after a disappointing result.
The driver had been voicing complaints since the start of the weekend about the behavior of his RB22, and he even managed to secure third place on the starting grid at the Circuit of the Americas. However, right at the start he dropped to fifth, endured a one-stop strategy that did not please him, and, as the race began, he lamented the turn of events.
“You know, I follow all the procedures to a tee, but when it’s time to release the clutch, the system fails. These are things that are beyond my control. This is starting to irritate me, you know?”
“Additionally, the radio communication is poor. I can’t hear what’s happening in the pits. I leave the pits with the wrong mapping and, with the hard tires, I end up losing a second per lap. It’s simply…” and he shook his head, showing his frustration.
Asked whether this wasn’t the first time this year that he faced issues at the start, and whether he had received explanations, Hadjar replied, “No. It requires a redesign. That’s it. The clutch needs to be redesigned, because, at the moment, it is too fragile. It doesn’t handle the temperatures well. Yes, it’s been a huge challenge.”
