The newest member of the Red Bull Racing roster has made a surprising confession about his emotional reaction to one of Formula 1’s most controversial championship finales. Isack Hadjar, who will partner Max Verstappen at the Milton Keynes-based team from 2026 onwards, has revealed he physically struck his television screen while watching Lewis Hamilton lose the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in dramatic fashion. The French driver’s admission underscores the intensity of that season-ending showdown and highlights an unexpected dynamic as he prepares to join forces with the man who denied his hero an eighth world championship on that unforgettable December evening.
From junior driver to Verstappen’s future teammate
Hadjar’s journey to Red Bull’s senior squad has been marked by both promise and adversity. The Frenchman claimed the runner-up position in the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship, a performance that earned him graduation to RB for the 2025 season. His debut campaign delivered mixed fortunes, beginning with a devastating crash during the warm-up lap in Australia that left the youngster in tears. Anthony Hamilton, father of Lewis, was among those who offered consolation during that difficult moment at Albert Park.
The connection between Hadjar and the Hamilton family adds another layer to his candid admission about the 2021 title decider. Despite that emotional low in Melbourne, Hadjar demonstrated resilience throughout his rookie F1 season, securing a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and ultimately finishing twelfth in the drivers’ standings. His promotion to Red Bull Racing came after Yuki Tsunoda’s disappointing 2025 campaign failed to convince team management he deserved the seat alongside Verstappen.
The television incident that reveals Hamilton devotion
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Hadjar was questioned about his experience witnessing the Abu Dhabi finale. When asked to confirm the year he signed his Red Bull junior contract, the 22-year-old immediately sensed where the conversation was heading. His response laid bare the depth of his support for Hamilton during that contentious race at the Yas Marina Circuit.
“I was alone in my room. I was all-in for Lewis,” Hadjar explained, describing a scene without cameras or microphones capturing his raw reaction. “There were no cameras, there was no microphone. It was just myself in front of my TV screen. I hit the television and that was it.”
The moment Hadjar refers to remains one of the most debated episodes in modern Formula 1 history. Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap following a safety car period that race director Michael Masi handled in a manner many observers considered procedurally flawed. The decision to allow only certain lapped cars to unlap themselves, combined with the timing of the safety car withdrawal, created circumstances that gave the Red Bull driver a crucial advantage on fresh tyres against Hamilton’s worn rubber.
Navigating an awkward partnership dynamic
Hadjar’s confession presents an intriguing subplot as he prepares to work alongside Verstappen from 2026. The four-time world champion secured his fourth consecutive title during the 2024 season, cementing his status as one of the sport’s dominant forces. Meanwhile, Hadjar has openly identified as a Hamilton supporter, creating a potentially delicate situation within the Red Bull garage.
The irony of the situation is not lost on paddock observers. Hadjar will be tasked with supporting Red Bull’s championship ambitions while partnering the very driver whose controversial triumph caused him to lash out at his television three years prior. Professional racing demands pragmatism, however, and the Frenchman has shown maturity in bouncing back from setbacks throughout his career. His ability to compartmentalize personal allegiances and focus on performance will be tested as he steps into one of motorsport’s most high-pressure seats.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has built a reputation for managing strong driver pairings, though the dynamic between Verstappen and Hadjar carries unique complications given their contrasting connections to the 2021 championship battle. The team will be counting on both drivers to push Mercedes and Ferrari in what promises to be a fiercely competitive 2026 season under new technical regulations.
What this means going forward
Hadjar’s candid revelation offers a rare glimpse into how deeply Formula 1’s dramatic moments resonate with those on the periphery of the sport’s elite level. As a junior driver watching from the outside in 2021, he experienced the Abu Dhabi finale as millions of fans did—with visceral emotional investment. Now, as he prepares to race alongside Verstappen in Red Bull’s 2026 campaign, that emotional connection to Hamilton must be reconciled with the professional demands of fighting for victories and podiums in Milton Keynes colours.
The partnership between Verstappen and Hadjar will be scrutinized intensely from the moment they share the garage. Red Bull’s decision to promote the Frenchman over Tsunoda signals confidence in his potential to contribute meaningfully to the team’s constructors’ championship aspirations. Whether the memory of striking his television in frustration over Hamilton’s defeat will add an extra edge to his motivation remains to be seen, but Hadjar has already proven his ability to channel adversity into performance throughout his ascent through the junior categories.
