Red Bull driver believes Verstappen could have won Singapore by a greater margin in a Ferrari despite the team’s recent resurgence
Isack Hadjar believes Max Verstappen would have won the Singapore Grand Prix by an even greater margin had he been driving a Ferrari, questioning whether Red Bull currently possesses Formula 1’s fastest car.
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the French driver played down Red Bull’s apparent dominance despite Verstappen’s consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore, insisting that the competitive order remains uncertain as rival teams prepare further upgrades.
Red Bull’s resurgence follows a difficult start to the season
Red Bull has made significant progress after enduring a disappointing opening phase of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Following months of difficult results and a substantial performance deficit to Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari, the team has reversed its fortunes with a major upgrade.
Verstappen’s recent performances have highlighted that improvement.
The Dutchman finished second in Baku before securing consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore, demonstrating the progress Red Bull has made.
However, while Verstappen has enjoyed a strong run of results, his teammate Hadjar has experienced considerably more difficult weekends at the same circuits.
The contrasting performances have raised questions about Red Bull’s true competitive position relative to its rivals.
Hadjar refuses to declare Red Bull the fastest team
Speaking during Thursday’s press conference in Austin, Hadjar was asked whether Red Bull now possesses the strongest car on the grid.
Despite Verstappen’s recent success, the Frenchman was unwilling to make such a declaration.
Instead, he emphasised that the competitive order remains uncertain, particularly with rival teams continuing to introduce developments.
“Other teams will also be bringing new parts, so we’ll see over the coming period exactly where everyone stands at the moment,” Hadjar explained.
His comments reflect a cautious assessment of Red Bull’s recent progress rather than an assumption that the team has established a clear advantage over its competitors.
“Max would have won by a bigger margin in a Ferrari”
Hadjar also offered a striking assessment of Verstappen’s victory in Singapore.
Although Red Bull had demonstrated a clear performance advantage in Malaysia, the French driver believes the situation was different at Marina Bay.
He suggested that Verstappen’s winning margin in Singapore did not necessarily demonstrate that Red Bull had the fastest car.
“We were certainly dominant in Malaysia, but I don’t think we had the fastest car in Singapore.”
“If Max had been driving a Ferrari there, he would have won by an even bigger margin.”
The remark highlighted Hadjar’s belief that Verstappen’s victory in Singapore should not automatically be interpreted as proof of Red Bull’s superiority.
While acknowledging the team’s dominant performance in Malaysia, Hadjar maintained that Ferrari could have offered Verstappen an even more competitive package in Singapore.
Hadjar’s frustration after a difficult Singapore weekend
Verstappen’s recent victories have contrasted sharply with Hadjar’s own experiences.
The Frenchman struggled during both the Malaysian and Singapore Grands Prix, with the latter proving particularly disappointing.
On the streets of Singapore, Hadjar finished ninth while his teammate secured victory.
Those difficulties caused frustration for the French driver, who is known for his temperamental character.
Despite the disappointment, Hadjar remains focused on improving his results as the championship moves to the United States.
Austin offers Hadjar another opportunity
Hadjar arrives at the Circuit of the Americas hoping to deliver a stronger performance following his difficult Singapore weekend.
However, much of the attention will once again be focused on Verstappen.
The Dutchman won at Austin last year and enters the weekend following consecutive Grand Prix victories in Malaysia and Singapore.
For Hadjar, the United States Grand Prix represents another opportunity to assess Red Bull’s competitiveness against Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari.
With rival teams expected to continue introducing new components, the Frenchman believes the coming races will provide a clearer indication of the true competitive order.
Despite Red Bull’s recent resurgence, Hadjar remains unwilling to declare the team the benchmark in Formula 1.
