F1 driver Isack Hadjar gets formal warning after pushing fan in Mexico

Isack Hadjar will start the Mexican Grand Prix in seventh place following a formal warning issued by the FIA on Saturday. The French Red Bull driver received the penalty for pushing a fan in the paddock area before the first free practice session.

Social media footage shows Hadjar using his right hand to move an adult man who attempted to hug him for a selfie. Seconds earlier, the driver had agreed to pose with a different young spectator. Hadjar told race stewards he was late for practice when he stopped for the initial photo. He stated that another person approached him aggressively despite security being nearby. Hadjar described this as an invasion of his private space that triggered the push.

"Next time I need someone to do the security job a bit better and then I will not have any problem," Hadjar said Saturday. "I do not want to do the security job by myself."

The FIA sporting code allows for financial or sporting sanctions based on the severity of an infraction. It also includes mitigating circumstances. The stewards chose to issue only a formal warning. They concluded Hadjar was reacting to an uninvited and quite aggressive action by another person. They also noted the driver was moving through a congested zone with insufficient security. The stewards considered that the spectator invaded his personal space without consent and that paddock congestion remains a persistent issue for drivers.

Crowds at the Mexican Grand Prix paddock have often become so dense that drivers like Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton have used back entrances to avoid fans. Hadjar’s warning reflects a pattern of tight security challenges in high traffic areas during major events.

The driver will begin the race on Sunday from his grid position. The formal warning does not carry a point penalty or a monetary fine. Hadjar’s team and the FIA confirmed the decision was final after the Saturday meeting with stewards. The incident marks the second time this season a Red Bull driver has been involved in a paddock interaction with a spectator.

The Mexican Grand Prix is the 20th round of the 24-race 2026 season. Hadjar enters the weekend with 12 points in the drivers' championship. The race will take place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Weather forecasts call for clear skies and temperatures around 22 degrees Celsius on race day.