Hadjar disqualified from Miami GP qualifying after 2mm floor breach on Red Bull
Synopsis
A marginal 2mm floor deviation cost Hadjar his ninth-place qualifying result at Miami, handing him a back-of-grid penalty despite no performance advantage gained. Red Bull's upgrade-fueled weekend momentum now hinges on race-day recovery, with pole-sitter Antonelli and unpredictable weather adding further complexity to an already unpredictable Miami race.
Key Takeaways
Isack Hadjar disqualified from Miami GP qualifying on 3 May for a 2mm floor assembly breach on his Red Bull car.
The violation involved sections on both left and right sides protruding beyond the allowed reference volume.
Hadjar had qualified ninth, just seven positions behind teammate Max Verstappen .
Red Bull principal Laurent Mekies stated no performance advantage was intended or gained from the error.
Hadjar permitted to race from back of grid; Kimi Antonelli starts from pole for Mercedes .
Race start moved earlier due to heavy rain forecasts at Hard Rock Stadium .
Isack Hadjar will start the Miami Grand Prix from the back of the grid on 3 May after stewards disqualified him from qualifying due to a technical violation on his Red Bull Racing car. The 2mm deviation in the floor assembly — found on both left and right sides — breached the sport's strict technical regulations, despite his impressive ninth-place qualifying result.
What the violation entailed
Post-qualifying technical inspections uncovered that a section of Hadjar's car's floor assembly protruded beyond the allowed reference volume by 2mm on each side. Though marginal, the breach violated FIA technical rules, triggering an immediate stewards investigation and subsequent exclusion from the session results. Red Bull accepted the ruling without contest.
Performance context and upgrade package
Hadjar had shown promising pace throughout the weekend, qualifying just seven positions behind his four-time world champion teammate Max Verstappen. The strong showing came on the back of a significant upgrade package Red Bull introduced at Hard Rock Stadium. The technical infraction, however, overshadowed what had been an encouraging performance for the team.
Team's response and forward focus
Red Bull principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the error directly. "We made a mistake and we respect the decision of the stewards," Mekies said. "No performance advantage was intended or gained from this error." He added that the team would review its processes to prevent recurrence and apologized to Hadjar, fans, and partners.
Race day conditions and grid setup
The Miami Grand Prix will start earlier than originally scheduled due to heavy rain forecasts in the area. Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Kimi Antonelli will start from pole position, setting the stage for an unpredictable race with Hadjar launching from the back of the grid.
What happens next
Despite the qualifying disqualification, Hadjar is permitted to race after stewards deemed his practice session performances satisfactory. The back-of-grid start adds a recovery challenge to what Red Bull hopes will be a strong afternoon, with the team now focused on converting the weekend's encouraging upgrade gains into race points.
Point of View
Yet stewards must enforce them uniformly. Red Bull's acceptance and Mekies' candour suggest the infraction was genuine error, not gamesmanship — but the penalty's severity (back-of-grid) is disproportionate to the violation's scale. For Hadjar, it's a reminder that in F1, qualifying can be undone by factors beyond driver talent; for Red Bull, it's a costly lesson in technical compliance just as their upgrade package was delivering results.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Isack Hadjar disqualified from Miami GP qualifying?
Hadjar was disqualified after stewards discovered a 2mm deviation in his Red Bull's floor assembly, with sections on both left and right sides protruding beyond the allowed reference volume. The breach violated FIA technical regulations, triggering his exclusion from qualifying despite his ninth-place result.
What was the technical violation on Hadjar's car?
A section of the car's floor assembly was found to stick out beyond the allowed reference volume by 2mm on both the left and right sides. Although marginal, the deviation breached the sport's strict technical rules.
Can Hadjar still race at Miami?
Yes, Hadjar is permitted to start the race from the back of the grid. Stewards deemed his practice session performances satisfactory, allowing him to compete despite the qualifying disqualification.
How did Red Bull respond to the disqualification?
Red Bull principal Laurent Mekies stated the team made a mistake and respected the stewards' decision. He emphasized that no performance advantage was intended or gained from the error and pledged to review processes to prevent recurrence.
Who secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix?
Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the Miami Grand Prix.
