Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar took a light-hearted jab at Charles Leclerc for his complaint about dirty air during the qualifying session of the 2025 Canadian GP. The incident occurred during a pre-race gathering where Hadjar playfully imitated Leclerc’s frustrated team radio message, much to the amusement of the other drivers present.
The Canadian GP weekend started off on a sour note for Leclerc, as he crashed during FP1, forcing him to miss out on the FP2 session. Things didn’t improve during the qualifying session, as Leclerc was on a flying lap in Q3, aiming for pole position. However, his hopes were dashed when he encountered dirty air from Isack Hadjar, causing him to abandon his final lap and settle for P8 on the grid.
Leclerc’s expletive-laden outburst over the team radio towards Hadjar further added to the drama of the situation. However, before the race on Sunday, all the drivers gathered for the traditional drivers’ parade, where Hadjar couldn’t resist teasing Leclerc by mimicking his radio message in a playful manner. The light-hearted moment brought laughter to the onlookers and even left Leclerc chuckling.
In a post-qualifying interview, Leclerc clarified that the incident with Hadjar was not intentional and that it was the result of the dirty air disrupting his lap. Despite the frustration he faced during qualifying, Leclerc acknowledged that Hadjar was not at fault for the obstruction.
During the main race on Sunday, Leclerc managed to make a good recovery from his P8 starting position, ultimately finishing in P5. On the other hand, Hadjar had a more challenging race, ending up in P16.
In a subsequent interview, Leclerc took responsibility for his disappointing qualifying performance, admitting that he made a mistake on his final lap. He also criticized Ferrari’s decision to send him out early, which led to encountering traffic on the track. Despite the setback in qualifying, Leclerc was able to recover during the main race, finishing in P6.
The incident between Leclerc and Hadjar added an element of humor to the intense competition of the Canadian GP weekend, showcasing the camaraderie and lighthearted moments that can occur even in high-pressure situations on the Formula 1 circuit.