Hadjar pleased with ‘deserving’ Monza comeback: ‘Podium is not the norm’

10:49, 08 Sep

byKada Sarkozi

Starting from the pit lane, Isack Hadjar managed to earn a point at the Italian Grand Prix.

After his career-first podium in Zandvoort, during the media day in Monza, the Frenchman declared his ambitions to drive for Red Bull Racing next year.

Following a power unit change for the Italian GP, the rookie began the race from the pit lane but completed a great comeback drive, crossing the finish line in tenth place.

"I had fun. I think we deserve that point because we had really good pace yesterday (on Saturday, ed.)," he began to GPblog.

"Obviously before qualifying we knew we were going to start at the end of the grid so that was very frustrating. We did a really good comeback and the pace was really strong so we deserve it."

Hadjar did not think a top-10 finish was on the cards this Sunday.

"Honestly no, I thought we were going to be stuck in a DRS train, but we made it work in clean air on the hard tyre and the degradation was just very low, so it really helped us.

"The podium is not the norm. Finishing in the top 10 is the goal every weekend. Starting from pit lane, I think it's not bad."

'I would never be eliminated in Q1 in a real session'

This result comes after Hadjar's streak of never getting eliminated in Q1 ended in Monza, after finishing 16th on Saturday.

"To be honest, yesterday (on Saturday) I don't even think I was in the right mindset going into qualifying.

"You're going to start last and you're trying to help the team. So I really put my performance aside, and we got knocked out. But in a real qualifying [session], I would never be out of the top 15 that's for sure," he reflected.