Brundle Hails Hadjar’s Heroic Baku Comeback
The Isack Hadjar Baku return delivered exactly the story Red Bull needed. Three weeks after a wrist injury forced him out of the car, he climbed onto the Azerbaijan Grand Prix podium, and F1 TV pundit Alex Brundle wasted no time saying so.
Speaking on the post race broadcast, Brundle argued that Hadjar had earned crucial “team-mate points” with what he called an exceptional comeback drive to third. That’s his professional read of the race rather than an official verdict, but it captures how sharply Hadjar bounced back from time on the sidelines.
The timing matters too. Hadjar had only just put pen to paper on his long-term contract extension with Red Bull, tying him to the team through 2027. A podium so soon after injury gives that deal an immediate, tangible return, and it will have quietened anyone who doubted whether he could pick up straight where he left off.
Missing races through injury rarely helps a driver’s rhythm. Hadjar had to relearn the car’s balance, the braking points and the rhythm of a race weekend almost from scratch, all in the space of a few days.
Capitalising in Baku: How Hadjar Claimed Third
Hadjar’s route to the podium began with his impressive qualifying return in Baku, which put him close enough to the front to fight rather than simply survive the grand prix.
He still needed a break, and he got one. Oscar Piastri locked up late in the race, and Hadjar seized the moment to slip through and claim third place. It was the sort of chance that only comes to a driver already running near the sharp end of the field.
He finished behind team-mate Max Verstappen, who took second, giving Red Bull both spots on the lower steps of the podium. It capped a weekend that also brought his delayed helmet design debut, a small personal touch on a big day for the Frenchman.
None of that discounts Verstappen’s own race. He was quicker for most of the weekend and finished ahead regardless of what happened around him. But Hadjar’s job was to be there when a chance appeared, and he was.
Hill Praises Red Bull’s Aggressive Fightback
Damon Hill was just as impressed, praising both driver and team on the same broadcast. His comments went further than the result itself, touching on what Red Bull represent as a team.
Incredible recovery from Isack Hadjar to bounce back after his injury and being away. They were a strong team. You can never discount Red Bull. They are an aggressive attacking racing team who take chances. They’re always fighting for things, and they’re incredible. You have to say they’ve been through so many different iterations of management and goodness knows what, but they’re still there fighting.
That last point rings true this season. Red Bull have absorbed changes behind the scenes, yet they keep finding pace when it matters most. Baku was proof of that, built on a driver who refused to let injury derail his year and a team that backed him with a new deal before he had even proved it in the car.
Hill’s praise wasn’t just polite broadcast filler either. It read as genuine respect for a team that keeps competing hard, whatever is happening off the track.
Red Bull’s Standings and Championship Reality
The podium matters for the championship too, even with ground still to make up. Verstappen sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 163 points, while Hadjar is eighth on 86.
Those totals put Red Bull fourth in the constructors’ table with 263 points. It’s not the position this team is used to occupying, but a podium like Baku’s helps close the gap a little each time it happens. Full detail on the weekend sits in Brundle’s post-race comments on Motorsport.com.
Every point counts double at this stage, both for the drivers’ fight and for the constructors’ battle behind it. With a contract through 2027 already signed, Hadjar’s job now is consistency rather than one good weekend in Baku.
The Isack Hadjar Baku return may end up as the moment this season turned back in Red Bull’s favour. A lot can still change before the championship is settled, but the car has shown it can win podiums when the moment arrives.
