FIA issues formal warning to Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar
The Frenchman was penalized for pushing a fan in the Mexico City paddock but avoided a fine due to heavy crowd congestion.
By Marta Gray ·
The International Automobile Federation issued a formal warning to Isack Hadjar on Saturday following a physical altercation with a fan in the paddock area ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix. The sanction comes after social media videos showed the Red Bull driver using his right hand to push away an adult male who attempted to hug him and take a selfie.
Hadjar, who will start the race in seventh position, provided context to the race stewards during a Saturday meeting. He explained that he was running late for the first free practice session when he stopped to pose for a photo with a young spectator. He stated that another individual approached him in an aggressive manner. Although security personnel were nearby, Hadjar argued they did not prevent what he described as an invasion of his personal space, which triggered the push.
The driver expressed frustration with the crowd management during his remarks to the officials. "Next time I need someone to do the security job a bit better, and then I will not have problems," Hadjar said. He added that he did not want to perform the security duties himself.
The FIA sports code allows stewards to impose financial or sporting penalties based on the severity of an infraction. However, the rulebook also includes mitigating circumstances that officials may apply. In this instance, the stewards chose a formal warning over a fine. They concluded that the driver was reacting to an unwelcome and fairly aggressive action by another person.
The panel also considered that Hadjar was moving through a congested zone with insufficient security. They noted that the spectator entered his personal space without consent and that paddock congestion remains a persistent issue for drivers. The dense crowds at the Mexican Grand Prix have previously forced top drivers like Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to use rear access routes to bypass fans.
The decision reflects a balanced approach where the driver acknowledged the push but the specific conditions of the event played a role in the final penalty. The incident occurred just before the practice sessions began, marking the start of the race weekend in Mexico City.
Hadjar accepted the sanction and will remain in the grid without losing points or paying a fee. The formal warning stands as the official record of the incident for this race weekend.
