Rising F1 star Isack Hadjar has pulled back the curtain on the harsh economic realities of the “minor leagues” of motorsport, revealing that he only began earning a living as a driver this year after reaching the pinnacle of Formula 1.
Despite his status as a top-tier prospect in the Red Bull Junior Team, Hadjar described the path through Formula 3 and Formula 2 as a “relentless financial struggle.” Unlike mainstream sports like football, where the barrier to entry is a pair of shoes, Hadjar noted that motorsport is “absurdly” expensive, often making talent invisible behind a wall of costs.
Key takeaways from Hadjar’s journey:
- The Salary Gap: There are no real salaries in F2; instead, drivers often have to pay for their own seats or rely heavily on sponsors.
- Family Sacrifice: Hadjar credited his mother for securing independent sponsors to cover the gaps that even an academy like Red Bull couldn’t fully bridge during his junior years.
- The Gear Advantage: He highlighted how wealth creates an uneven playing field in karting, where well-funded teams can replace engines and tires far more frequently than others.
The “Hamilton Exception” Hadjar argued that while success stories like Lewis Hamilton exist, they are “the exception that proves the rule.” He believes the F1 grid would look vastly different—and perhaps even more competitive—if the sport were as accessible as more traditional athletics.
“Without Red Bull, it would have ended,” Hadjar admitted, emphasizing that even “well-off” families find the costs of the F1 feeder series nearly impossible to sustain without major corporate backing.
F1 Stats Last Updated: March 29, 2026 | All statistics, lap times, and driver comparisons on this page reflect the most current data available from the official F1 sources. And updated till the last race which happened in 29th March 2026