Racing Bulls finally had something to cheer about in Brazil after three tough weekends with no points on the board, as both drivers, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, finished inside the top 10 at Interlagos, but while the team celebrated a double points finish, what happened on the final lap between the two nearly wiped those smiles off their faces.
A Last-Lap Fight Between Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson That Nobody Saw
While the television cameras were busy following Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s battle at the front, a different kind of fight was happening further down the order. Lawson had been managing a one-stop strategy and found himself under massive pressure in the closing laps from teammate Hadjar, who was closing in fast with fresher tires and plenty of confidence.
On the final lap, Hadjar went for a move around the outside of Turn 1 by trying to snatch seventh place from his teammate, and the two made light contact as they fought for space, with Hadjar catching up in a slide to keep his car under control. Both drivers managed to stay on track, but it was a close call that easily could have ended badly for the Faenza outfit.
After the race, Hadjar admitted that he might have gone a bit too far, “I pushed it a little too much. But honestly, it was very fun. He went on a one-stop and on the very last lap, I’m in his gearbox. I think you can’t do any better than that. And I tried and I overdid it, kind of my mistake.”
On the other hand, Lawson didn’t seem too bothered by it. “He was going for a move. It’s the type of corner that curves in, and he’s obviously trying to clear me before the braking and I think I just misjudged it. But we both came out of it, so it was okay, and more importantly, for the team to have two cars seventh and eighth is great today.”
Racing Bulls’ Strategy Calls and Future Implications
Despite finishing inside the points, Hadjar wasn’t entirely happy with his race, as he had been leading the midfield pack before losing time during a pit stop and being undercut by Haas driver Oliver Bearman, who ended up finishing ahead of both Racing Bulls cars.
“It’s not a good day for me,” Hadjar admitted. “The strategy on the first stint was not good. We lost a bit of time. We tried to make up for it. But we didn’t have an amazing pace for that. We had a very good Sunday, points-wise. It helps us for sixth place but it’s not a good day for me.”
For Lawson, the result might have come at the right time as the New Zealander has been fighting to secure his future with his current contract running out at the end of the season, and a strong result like this could help his chances of keeping a Formula 1 seat in 2026.
On the other hand, Hadjar has been making a name for himself quickly as the 21-year-old French driver has impressed the Red Bull camp this season and is seen as one of the top candidates for a future promotion. His aggressive driving and confidence behind the wheel have caught plenty of attention.
Racing Bulls now sit sixth in the constructors’ standings, just ahead of Aston Martin and Haas, and for a team that’s been fighting hard in the midfield, that’s a solid position heading into the final three races.
