How Formula 1 united to celebrate Isack Hadjar’s rookie podium

Not every rookie podium feels like a watershed moment. Isack Hadjar’s did. At Zandvoort, the 20-year-old Frenchman didn’t just take home a trophy, he stole the spotlight.

From the hugs in the pit lane to the champagne spray on the podium, the celebrations told the story: everyone wanted to be part of his breakthrough.

And when the cheers faded trackside, the party rolled on online, with drivers and fans filling his feed with praise.

Celebrations on track

Hadjar’s first congratulations came straight from those closest to him. Team mate Liam Lawson wrapped him in a hug, while fellow French drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly added their own warm embraces. George Russell also stopped by to share the moment.

On the podium itself, Oscar Piastri made sure Hadjar got the full treatment with a cheeky champagne spray. And sharing the rostrum with him, Max Verstappen offered a handshake and a few words of encouragement, a surreal moment for Hadjar, who has long looked up to the Dutch superstar.

Well-known team bosses like Red Bull’s Helmut Marko and McLaren’s Zak Brown made a point of congratulating the young Frenchman. For someone only a few months into his Formula 1 career, recognition like that showed just how big this moment was.

Social Media lights up

The celebrations didn’t stop when the engines turned off. Online, Hadjar’s podium quickly became one of the weekend’s most talked-about moments, with tributes pouring in across Instagram.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton led the way, posting in support of the rookie. Coming from one of the sport’s most decorated champions, the gesture was more than just a nod, it was a powerful endorsement that amplified Hadjar’s arrival on the big stage.

Not far behind, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Max Verstappen each shared their own tributes. For Gasly and Ocon, it was a proud moment to see another French driver join the spotlight. And Verstappen, fresh from celebrating his own home podium, still made time to congratulate the rookie standing beside him.

The wave of support didn’t stop there. Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda added their congratulations, George Russell gave Hadjar a nod of recognition online, and rising star Kimi Antonelli made sure to celebrate the milestone too. Together, it felt like the entire grid wanted to welcome Hadjar into the spotlight.

Hadjar’s own post quickly became a wall of applause. Motorsport figures such as Sergio Pérez, Arthur Leclerc and fellow Frenchman and former F1 star Romain Grosjean were all in the comments. Even Lando Norris, whose awful luck opened Hadjar's window of opportunity, chipped in with his congratulations.

Hadjar’s first podium wasn’t just a personal victory. It was a reminder of the camaraderie that still runs through F1. Fierce rivals on Sunday, but quick to unite when one of their own hits a milestone, the grid showed its brotherhood in full force.

Hadjar may be a rookie, but on this weekend, he was welcomed into the F1 family for life.