Nelson Piquet Jr slams Isack Hadjar’s ‘childish’ reaction to Miami GP crash
Nelson Piquet Jr has delivered a blunt assessment of Isack Hadjar’s reaction to his Miami Grand Prix crash, questioning the Red Bull driver’s maturity after what he described as an unnecessary emotional outburst.
A frustrating Miami weekend unravels
Hadjar endured a difficult race weekend in Miami, struggling from the outset and openly expressing frustration at being a long way off Max Verstappen’s pace from the first meaningful session. That tension came to a head during the race when cameras cut to the 21-year-old stranded in the barriers.
Replays showed that Hadjar broke his suspension on the inside wall at Turn 14, leaving him effectively a passenger as the car speared into the barriers at the exit of Turn 15. While the contact itself was minimal, the damage was terminal.
What followed, however, became the main talking point. Hadjar was seen punching his steering wheel in anger, a reaction that quickly drew scrutiny across the paddock.
For wider context on how turbulent the Miami weekend proved across the grid, see our breakdown of all the key moments from the 2026 Miami Grand Prix.
Paddock criticism grows
Hadjar’s cockpit fury added to a growing list of criticisms aimed at the Frenchman. Guenther Steiner labelled the incident an “emotional outburst”, while James Hinchcliffe voiced concern that it could signal the beginning of a worrying pattern.
That sentiment has now been echoed — and sharpened — by Nelson Piquet Jr.
Piquet Jr questions Hadjar’s maturity
Speaking on the Pelas Pistas podcast, the former Formula 1 driver was direct in his assessment of the Miami incident.
“Hopefully, he won’t let this one get to him too much, but it was entirely his own mistake, wasn’t it?” Piquet Jr said. “There’s no one else to look at, no one else to blame, it’s just him.”
Piquet Jr also pointed to the upcoming races in Canada and Monaco, highlighting the psychological challenge awaiting Hadjar.
“He’s got two tough ones coming up: Canada, which isn’t an easy track, and Monaco, which is tricky too,” he added. “I just don’t think he’s quite at the level yet.”
The Brazilian suggested that repeated mistakes could force a reckoning.
“If the same thing happens in Canada, and the same in Monaco, then he’ll start to wake up. Then we’ll start to see, psychologically, if he’s ready to handle that pressure.”
‘The cool ones survive’
Piquet Jr concluded by framing Hadjar’s reaction as a broader warning about life at the top level.
“It’s a bit childish, a lack of maturity, if you get too emotional,” he said. “In Formula 1, the bosses are fed up with seeing drivers coming and going. They know that deep down, the guys who end up finishing at the front are the cool ones. The ones who don’t lose their heads.”
As scrutiny intensifies around Hadjar, Miami may prove to be less about the crash itself — and more about how he responds next.
Simone Scanu
He’s 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.