Isack Hadjar laments costly Baku error: "Can't allow myself to make mistakes like this"

Racing Bulls Formula 1 driver Isack Hadjar was left fuming with himself after a frustrating race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

The French-Algerian driver finished the race at the Baku City Circuit in 10th, after starting from eighth. He encountered a hydraulic issue on the reconnaissance lap ahead of the race, but the team was able to make the necessary repairs on the grid. "Hydraulic issues. They fixed it and I was fine," Hadjar confirmed after the race.

After a disrupted start to the race caused by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri's crash, which brought out a yellow flag, Hadjar lost two positions to Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris after the restart despite initially overtaking Norris at the race start.

"Yeah, I mean, it's a shame because I felt good on the medium, on the very first lap I overtook Lando. I felt good and I did a repeat of yesterday on that kerb and I lost two places straight away to Charles and Lando," he said, sighing.

"So yeah, it was frustrating and then we fell back, but on the hard we were really quick and we were catching the guys ahead."

He added, "There's a probability we would have finished at the same position. I don't think it would have changed the race. It's just that it could have changed the race and I did this mistake. That's what p***es me off. In important moments, I can't allow myself to make mistakes like this."

Hadjar doubled down on his frustration as he admitted that he made a similar mistake at the last corner during qualifying in the exceptionally windy conditions, which he described as "skateboarding" on the kerb on Saturday.

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

"Yeah, I'm just mad because I didn't really take the wind into account. And I did a repeat today that p***es me off even more."

Hadjar's team-mate Liam Lawson started the race from third and finished in fifth to bring home 10 points for the team.

"I think Liam did a perfect race, and he only finished fifth from third, so I don't think it would have been possible," Hadjar explained when asked if a podium would have been possible today. "Williams are faster, Mercedes are faster."

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race from pole position and was joined on the podium by Mercedes' George Russell and Williams' Alex Albon.