Isack Hadjar’s pre-season prediction has now aged brilliantly after Dutch Grand Prix heroics

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Isack Hadjar has been considered by many as the best rookie on the grid in 2025. He cemented that by grabbing his first podium in Formula 1 at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Frenchman was unfazed by power unit problems during Friday’s practice sessions as he put his VCARB 02 on the second row of the grid in qualifying. F1 fans felt Hadjar was ‘magnificent’ as he lined up P4 behind Max Verstappen and the two McLarens.

Zandvoort’s twisty nature prevented many overtakes from happening during the race. But Hadjar displayed great race pace as he kept up with the frontrunners and fended off challenges from Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

The Racing Bulls driver looked set for an impressive fourth-place finish. However, he was elevated to the podium places after Lando Norris suffered an engine failure with a handful of laps to go.

The McLaren driver’s misfortune benefitted Hadjar as he was promoted to third after the safety car came out. He held his own in the final laps after the restart to secure the first podium of his F1 career, finishing behind Verstappen and race winner Oscar Piastri.

Isack Hadjar predicted that he would score a podium in 2025

Hadjar becomes the fifth-youngest driver in F1 history to score a podium after his Dutch Grand Prix performance. It also marks Racing Bulls’ first podium since Pierre Gasly finished third at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – the Faenza outfit were then known as AlphaTauri.

It was a brilliant day for the team at Zandvoort, and one that Hadjar had foreseen before the season started. As shared by Motorsport.com on X (formerly Twitter), the 20-year-old had made a board detailing his ‘first day in F1’, allowing fans to get to know him a bit better.

At the bottom, he was asked to finish the statement: “This year I will be…” to which he wrote: “On the podium!” His pre-season prediction has now come true in what has been a standout rookie year.

It has been an incredible recovery for the Frenchman after he crashed out on the formation lap of his debut race in Melbourne. Helmut Marko described Hadjar’s crash as ’embarrassing’, but he has emphatically put that behind him.

Hadjar promised to make ‘less silly mistakes’ after his debut race, and he has lived up to that statement so far. Regular Q3 appearances and strong Grand Prix performances have now seen him move into the top 10 of the championship.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know

F1 fans are in awe of ‘inspirational’ Isack Hadjar after maiden podium at the Dutch Grand Prix

Seeing that Hadjar’s prediction for 2025 had come true, F1 fans took to X to send their congratulations to the Racing Bulls star. One fan wrote: “You’re the embodiment of ‘If you put your wish into words, it will come true,” while another echoed: “Manifested and proved it.”

“FYI: Writing down your goals is one of the cheat codes to life,” said one user. Another fan hoped: “May it be the first of many.”

Another fan referred to the disappointment of his first F1 race in Melbourne as they wrote: “The debut race that ended in an instant is already a distant memory, right?”

Finally, one fan shared a picture of Anthony Hamilton consoling Hadjar after his crash in Australia, noting how strong he has been to come back from his heartbreaking moment: “Hadjar’s resilience and resolve has been the inspirational story of the season for me. What a guy.”