Hamilton calls him a 'legend': Isack Hadjar's Dutch GP performance steals the show

Zandvoort: Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar earned his first Formula 1 podium at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix, a performance that drew high praise from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who called Hadjar a “legend.”

Starting fourth on the grid, Hadjar demonstrated remarkable composure and race craft throughout the race, holding strong behind leader Max Verstappen and successfully fending off seasoned rivals like Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

The pivotal moment came late in the race when McLaren’s Lando Norris suffered an oil leak and retired, promoting Hadjar to a well-deserved third place. Reflecting on the achievement, Hadjar described the podium finish as “unreal” and a dream realised, acknowledging the progress he has made since a challenging debut season that included a spin on the formation lap at the Australian Grand Prix.

Hadjar’s consistent qualifying performances and steady accumulation of points have built up to this breakthrough result, showcasing his rapid development and maturity for a rookie. Racing Bulls team principal Christian Horner also emphasised the significance of this podium as a major step in Hadjar’s growth as a competitive force in Formula 1.

With momentum firmly on his side, Hadjar and his team now look ahead to the upcoming race at Monza, aiming to continue this upward trajectory.

Dutch GP results:

Yesterday’s Dutch Grand Prix results saw Oscar Piastri take a commanding victory for McLaren, finishing the 72 laps in 1:38:29.849. Max Verstappen secured second place, narrowly missing out on victory by just 1.271 seconds. Hadjar completed the podium in third, just 3.233 seconds behind the race winner. George Russell finished fourth, closely followed by Alexander Albon in fifth. Meanwhile, drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc suffered crashes at Turn 3, and Lando Norris retired late in the race due to a power unit failure.