Windsor draws FIA attention to Red Bull after unusual Hadjar crash in Monaco – Peter Windsor has praised Max Verstappen’s performance during Friday practice at the Monaco Grand Prix, describing the Dutchman as one of the standout drivers of the day.
However, while analysing Red Bull’s pace, Windsor also highlighted an incident involving Isack Hadjar that he believes could attract the attention of Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA.
The veteran journalist and analyst was particularly impressed by Verstappen’s ability to exploit Monaco’s unique characteristics. Unlike many circuits on the 2026 calendar, Monaco places far less emphasis on energy management, allowing drivers to focus more heavily on outright driving performance.
Monaco offers Verstappen a rare opportunity
According to Windsor, Monaco is one of the few venues where the limitations of the current power unit regulations have less impact on a driver’s ability to extract maximum performance.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Windsor said Verstappen looked comfortable from the opening laps of first practice.
“From the start of the first practice session, Max looked like Max in Monaco,” Windsor explained. “You could really enjoy his laps on his on-board footage. You could see him turning in early again and taking the corners short, especially in Monaco.”
Verstappen’s only notable complaint during practice centred on tyre behaviour, particularly during an early run on the hard compound. Windsor noted that the issue appeared related to maintaining tyre temperature rather than excessive degradation, suggesting it is unlikely to be a significant concern later in the weekend.
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Front-row challenge not ruled out
Although Red Bull has often lacked the outright pace of its main rivals this season, Windsor believes Verstappen could still emerge as a contender for a front-row starting position.
“Overall, Red Bull didn’t look bad and I suspect Max Verstappen thinks the second row is achievable,” Windsor said.
“If he drives a really good lap without traffic, he might be able to make the front row.”
Verstappen ended Friday just 0.16 seconds away from the fastest lap time, reinforcing the view that Red Bull remains competitive around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo despite recent struggles elsewhere.
Long-run pace offers encouragement for Red Bull
Windsor was equally interested in Verstappen’s race simulation work during second practice.
While many teams focused on qualifying preparations, Verstappen completed an extended run carrying a heavier fuel load. Windsor compared the stint with one completed by Mercedes driver George Russell and concluded that Red Bull’s race pace looked stronger than many expected.
“Max then did his Max thing, or his Red Bull thing, and did another long run in the second session,” Windsor said.
“He did eight laps with fuel in the car. George Russell also did a stint with fuel on board. Max was perhaps a tenth slower than the Mercedes, but George only did two laps and Max did eight.”
The comparison led Windsor to conclude that Red Bull appears capable of matching Mercedes over longer runs while remaining competitive over a single lap.
FIA likely to examine unusual Hadjar crash
Despite the positive signs for Red Bull, Windsor’s biggest talking point came after analysing Hadjar’s crash at the Swimming Pool section during first practice.
The French driver lost control and struck the barriers heavily, bringing an early end to his session. While the accident itself was unusual, Windsor focused on what happened after impact.
“What was very strange is that his left-rear wheel came off the car,” Windsor said. “I’m sure the FIA will look into this, because this shouldn’t happen.”
Under Formula 1 safety regulations, wheel retention systems are designed to prevent detached wheels following accidents. Although the wheel remained contained due to the nature of the crash and did not pose a danger to marshals or spectators, Windsor suggested the incident would likely attract scrutiny from officials.
Red Bull mechanics successfully repaired the car in time for second practice, allowing Hadjar to return to the circuit and post competitive lap times.
With Verstappen showing strong pace throughout Friday and Hadjar quickly recovering from his accident, Windsor concluded that Red Bull may have entered the Monaco weekend in a stronger position than many anticipated.
“So Red Bull also looks very strong, certainly better than McLaren,” he said.
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