The 2026 Formula 1 season brought a new challenge for Isack Hadjar. Promoted to Red Bull Racing, the Frenchman admitted that he had concerns about becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate.
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The 21-year-old joined the main team after a good season with Racing Bulls in 2025, when he finished 12th in the championship, scored 51 points, and achieved his first podium at the Dutch GP. Now, he faces one of the most demanding scenarios on the category’s grid, historically challenging for those who share a garage with the four-time world champion.
Even with a promising start, Hadjar acknowledged the impact of the career leap: “Signing is the first step, it’s a big step. But then you realize what lies ahead. There is a chance, even if small, and now everything depends on delivering results,” he said. He also highlighted the feeling of still assimilating the new reality within one of the category’s top teams.
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About sharing a team with Verstappen, the young driver was straightforward in admitting his initial doubts: “Of course I had concerns, because you see the differences with Max’s teammates and think: ‘That’s strange.’ But at the same time, it’s a new regulation, we have the same car, and if I believe I’m good, then that’s it,” he added.
Hadjar also pointed out that external pressure does not affect him as much as his own expectations. Used to competing under constant pressure since karting, he stated that the biggest challenge is meeting his own standards. According to the Frenchman, not disappointing himself is his main motivation within Formula 1.
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