Hadjar risks to lose podium at Monaco GP for red flag infringement
Podium in the balance for Red Bull's Hadjar
Isack Hadjar is under investigation by the Monaco Grand Prix stewards for a potential red flag infringement, casting a shadow over what appeared to be a milestone result for the French driver.
Hadjar crossed the line in fourth on the road in the Principality, but was elevated to third after Pierre Gasly received 10 seconds worth of time penalties for speeding in the pit lane. The Alpine driver dropped to seventh as a result, handing Hadjar what would be his second career podium in Formula 1 â and his first for the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull team.
It had been a remarkable turnaround for the Frenchman in Monaco. Having bounced back from a heavy FP1 crash earlier in the weekend, Hadjar delivered a composed and measured race performance on the streets of Monte Carlo.
The investigation and its consequences
Now, however, that result hangs in the balance. The stewards are examining whether Hadjar committed a red flag infringement during the race, and the outcome of that investigation will determine whether he is permitted to keep his position on the rostrum.
Should the stewards find against Hadjar and hand him a time penalty, Oscar Piastri would inherit the final spot on the Monaco podium in his place.
It is an agonising wait for a driver whose career trajectory has been one of gradual but significant progress. A first podium for Red Bull would have carried real symbolic weight â both for Hadjar personally and for a team looking for consistent results from its young lineup.
The situation also has broader implications for Alpine and Gasly, whose penalty was the catalyst for the entire reshuffle. The Parisian-born driver now faces the prospect of his Monaco race unravelling further, depending on how the Hadjar hearing concludes.
More details are expected as the stewards complete their review.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.