Formula 1 rookie Isack Hadjar has said his maiden podium felt "unreal" after claiming third for Racing Bulls at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Hadjar qualified a stellar fourth in Zandvoort on Saturday and looked set to stay there after a well controlled race, shadowing Red Bull's Max Verstappen every step of the way.
But Lando Norris' dramatic retirement with seven laps remaining elevated both drivers to second and third respectively, with Hadjar rewarding himself for his outstanding rookie form with a maiden podium spot.
"Oh my god," a jubilant Hadjar he yelled on the team radio. "What have we done? The pace was unreal. We're on the podium, I can't believe it!"
After jumping into the arms of his Racing Bulls mechanics, he added: "What was most surprising for me is keeping that fourth place for the whole race. Unfortunately for Lando, we took advantage but we made no mistake.
"The car was on rails the whole weekend and I'm really happy about myself, because I really maximised what I had. Made no mistakes and brought home the podium, so I'm so happy for my guys."
The 20-year-old Parisian, who now holds 10th in the drivers' championship, added: "That was always the target since I was a kid. This is the first step, my first podium, and hopefully much more [will follow]."
Hadjar has further underlined his credentials as a candidate to join Verstappen at Red Bull Racing in 2026, with the team continuously evaluating the Frenchman as well as incumbent Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson ahead of an expected decision towards the end of the season.
Tsunoda only finished ninth in Zandvoort despite a flurry of retirements and mishaps, while Lawson disappeared from point scoring contenting after a collision with Carlos Sainz.
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