Isack Hadjar has been sent to the FIA stewards after an incident with a fan in the Mexico GP paddock came to light.
Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar has been asked to meet the FIA stewards after a video showed him pushing a fan in the paddock at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
The clip, shared on social media, shows Hadjar walking back to the Red Bull garage after second practice on Friday. A fan approached him for a photo, put his arm around Hadjar, and tried to take a picture with his phone. Hadjar seemed to say no and motioned for the fan to step aside. But when the fan took the photo anyway, Hadjar pushed him away.
The FIA stewards have now called Hadjar about this incident, though the exact details haven’t been fully explained. He is accused of breaking rules around misconduct in the paddock. The hearing will take place at 10:15 am local time (5:30 pm UK time).
According to the FIA’s rules, misconduct includes any offensive or rude language, gestures, or actions, including things like pushing or hitting. If found guilty, Hadjar could face a fine of up to €5,000. The final penalty might consider things like whether his behavior was a reaction to being provoked or his past record.
So far, neither Hadjar nor Red Bull Racing have commented on the video.
It’s been a tough Friday for Red Bull overall. Max Verstappen got a one-place grid penalty for a crash with Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, who also got the same penalty. Both drivers apologized. After practice, Verstappen said, “This won’t change my weekend much, but if I were him, I’d be a bit smarter. When he saw me, he suddenly sped up. I don’t know why – it looked like he wanted to push me off the track at the hairpin.”