Red Bull star causes red flag after… see details in the comment
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar was at the centre of a dramatic moment during Monaco Grand Prix practice after a heavy crash at the famous Swimming Pool section triggered the first red flag of the weekend.
The incident happened as drivers were still adapting to the tight and unforgiving nature of the Monaco street circuit, where barriers leave almost no room for error. Hadjar approached the fast and technical Swimming Pool chicane in his Red Bull car but appeared to lose grip at a critical moment. The car suddenly broke away from his control, sending him sliding off the racing line and directly into the barriers.
The impact was strong enough to rip off the front wing of his car and damage one of the wheels, leaving the vehicle badly crippled and stranded. Race control immediately responded by deploying the red flag, temporarily stopping the session while marshals cleared the debris and ensured the track was safe for continuing running.
Over team radio, Hadjar quickly confirmed that he was unharmed but expressed confusion about what caused the sudden loss of control. He apologised to his team, stating that he did not understand why the car “snapped” in that way, suggesting surprise at how quickly the situation escalated. Fortunately, he was able to walk away without injury.
The interruption lasted only around five minutes before practice resumed. While the delay was brief, it still provided a reminder of how easily sessions in Monaco can be disrupted by even minor mistakes or mechanical instability. Once the track went green again, drivers continued their preparations, working on braking points, tyre performance, and confidence through the narrow circuit.
Hadjar’s crash, however, ended his participation in the remainder of the first practice session. His damaged Red Bull car required significant attention in the garage, and the team faced a tight turnaround to repair the damage ahead of the second practice session scheduled just a few hours later. With Monaco’s limited overtaking opportunities, every lap of practice is crucial, making the lost running potentially costly for both driver and team.
In contrast, the session also featured a close call for McLaren’s Lando Norris, who narrowly avoided a similar fate at the same section of the track. Approaching the Swimming Pool chicane at speed, Norris experienced a sudden slide that nearly sent him into the barriers. However, the 2025 world champion reacted quickly, managing to correct the car just in time to prevent any contact. His quick reflexes allowed him to continue the session without damage, highlighting how fine the margins are at Monaco.
While Norris escaped unharmed and continued his preparation, Hadjar was left to reflect on a far more damaging outcome. The contrast between the two moments underlined the unpredictable nature of the circuit, where even experienced drivers can be caught out in an instant.
For Hadjar, the crash placed him on the back foot for the rest of the weekend. Monaco is widely regarded as a track where qualifying performance is more important than race pace, meaning any lost practice time can have a significant impact on overall competitiveness. With Saturday qualifying often determining race results, missing valuable laps in FP1 could prove a serious setback.
As the Red Bull team worked against the clock to repair the damage, attention quickly turned to whether Hadjar would be able to recover enough track time in FP2 to regain confidence and rhythm. Meanwhile, the rest of the paddock continued fine-tuning their setups, aware that at Monaco, even the smallest mistake can have major consequences.