Dimmers: Verstappen’s wins may be weighing on Hadjar

In a RacingNews365 podcast discussion after the United States Grand Prix, Ruud Dimmers said Max Verstappen’s recent wins may be weighing on Isack Hadjar at Red Bull. Dimmers pointed to two victories in recent races despite Verstappen still not being fully satisfied with the car; Hadjar finished sixth in the US race, with his teammate third.

Hadjar’s sixth place followed a troubled race: he was clearly frustrated over team radio, lost several places at the start and ran into throttle-response trouble after his pit stop. He also struggled on the hard tyres. Dimmers said the difference between a weekend when Hadjar feels the car is doing what he wants and one that falls short can be small.

Dimmers also pointed to the car’s behaviour. He said Verstappen likes a car that turns in well and allows a looser rear, while other drivers may prefer greater stability. He cited Alex Albon, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly as former Red Bull teammates who, in his view, struggled with the characteristics Verstappen liked.

Jan van der Burgt, Dimmers’s podcast co-host, said Hadjar was not doing badly overall. He recalled that Verstappen was sixth in the standings and Hadjar eighth or ninth at the start of the season; now, Van der Burgt said, Verstappen is taking wins and podiums that Hadjar has not matched. The benchmark, in his view, has shifted to the front.