Isack Hadjar, promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing to partner Max Verstappen in the 2026 Formula 1 season, stated that his transition to the main team was not as challenging as he imagined. After a successful debut season with Racing Bulls in 2025, the French driver already felt like part of the team, having been a member of the Red Bull junior academy since 2021.
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Hadjar made several appearances in FP3 sessions and tests with old cars for Red Bull in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, which facilitated his adaptation. In an interview with RacingNews365, he stated: “I didn’t feel like I was joining a new team. I had already worked with the engineers I’ve known for a while, and I did simulation sessions with them for the team. This made the transition much easier,” he said.
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The driver also felt comfortable returning to work with Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing team principal, with whom he had already collaborated at the start of his F1 career. Hadjar continued: “Having Laurent as a leader is great. I made my F1 debut with him (when Mekies was the head of Racing Bulls) and now, entering my second season with him, it’s being very good. It was a smooth transition and I’m feeling very lucky,” he added.
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