Hadjar faces five-place grid drop at Malaysian GP as Red Bull eyes back-to-back podiums

Isack Hadjar will start the Malaysian Grand Prix five places behind his qualifying position after confirming a grid penalty at Sepang on Thursday, adding an early obstacle to Red Bull’s attempt to build on their double podium in Azerbaijan.

The French rookie revealed the penalty at the Sepang International Circuit ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend — the race’s official name despite its Malaysian venue — telling reporters he expects to drop five grid places due to a power unit component change. Red Bull declined to specify which component would be replaced, but Hadjar has already exceeded the permitted limit on every PU element this season, meaning any further change triggers the minimum five-place drop rather than the heavier ten-place penalty applied to a first breach.

Hadjar is measured about Red Bull’s competitiveness at a circuit with a more conventional layout than the street circuit in Baku, where the team secured their first double podium since China in 2024. “I would expect us to be less competitive here due to the layout,” he said. “But if we still manage to fight for a podium this weekend, that would be good. But it’s going to be difficult for me.”

Despite the penalty, the 20-year-old is not writing off a strong result. “Even with the penalty, I believe this is a track that if you have the race pace, you can go up,” he said. “And if we can’t, then it means we’re not fast enough. So, that’s it.”

Hadjar also confirmed he will approach the Sepang weekend with a more aggressive mindset than he adopted in Baku, where he was managing his return from a wrist injury. The open, wall-free nature of the Malaysian circuit means he can push from the first session rather than building up gradually. “In Baku, when you go over the limit, you are in the wall. I didn’t really fancy that, so I was taking it step by step,” he said. “But this weekend is completely normal to me, so I need to take risks straight away.”

Red Bull also face a broader challenge in Malaysia, with Mercedes set to introduce a significant upgrade to the W17 — a development the Silver Arrows have been anticipating for some time. How that package performs on a traditional circuit layout will give both teams a clearer picture of the competitive order heading into the second half of the season.