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F1 fans rush to defend Isack Hadjar after controversial Mexican GP incident

The Red Bull driver must see the Mexico City Grand Prix stewards after footage showed him pushing away a fan

Formula 1 fans have jumped to the defence of Isack Hadjar after the Red Bull driver was summoned to the stewards for alleged misconduct during the Mexican Grand Prix race weekend. This comes after he was filmed pushing a fan as they tried to get a selfie with the driver.

The video spread quickly on social media on Friday, appearing to show Hadjar pushing away a fan who was launching himself at the driver in an attempt to get a photo with him. In the footage, the fan attempts to put his arm around Hadjar as he walks through the paddock. The driver pushed him back at arm's length before giving him a forceful shove as the relentless fan continued.

This took place between the two practice sessions on Friday. FP1 was a struggle for Hadjar, who suffered from power unit problems limiting his runtime. He finished 11th fastest, but jumped up the timesheets to sixth by the end of FP2.

While a few have criticised Hadjar for his response to the fan, several have stood by him.

“So, incredibly, when you’re polite to him and don’t infringe on his space and touch him, he’s actually really cool to fans… it’s a privilege to meet a driver but you’re never entitled to it,” one user wrote on X, in a post liked more than 3,000 times.

Another added: “Good on Hadjar, honestly, fans should get a grip. Personal space is a thing and it should be respected.”

Some questioned why Hadjar was the one facing the stewards.

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: James Sutton / LAT Images via Getty Images

“Hadjar should not be in trouble, this OLDER man should not be touching him. Paddocks are workplaces, not show grounds. Drivers are people, not property,” one fan posted.

Others agreed with him but felt the situation could have been handled better.

“Max is correct, it’s like a zoo. People have no respect for drivers' personal space and boundaries. But it probably could have been handled a little better. Security should have stepped in sooner,” wrote another.

Not everyone was so forgiving, with one user asking: “Are we pretending this is… okay?”

The incident comes days after Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland that Hadjar “needs to take it down a notch” following his angry radio messages in Austin.

Hadjar is due to see the stewards at 10.15am local time on Saturday. A breach of the misconduct rule carries a base fine of €5,000, although a warning is also possible for a first offence.

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