The latest driver chosen to support Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar is reaching a major milestone in his young career. After a convincing rookie season in 2025 with Racing Bulls, the Frenchman has been promoted to the main Red Bull team for the new campaign.
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A huge challenge on paper, as the Red Bull environment is demanding and structured around its four-time world champion. However, Hadjar refutes the idea of a total upheaval. According to him, this promotion is part of a logical continuity rather than a break.
“Honestly, it didn’t really feel like arriving at a new team,” he explains. A strong statement, which contrasts with the pressure generally associated with this type of promotion.
An integration prepared since 2021
If the transition seems so smooth, it’s because the link between Hadjar and Red Bull is not new. The Frenchman joined the group’s junior program in 2021, patiently climbing the ranks of the feeder categories while remaining closely connected to the parent structure.
Over the seasons, he made multiple appearances in Free Practice 1 in 2023 and 2024, gradually discovering the team’s internal workings.
“I have already participated in FP1s for this team in 2023 and 2024. I have been under contract since 2021,” he recalls.
This preliminary work has allowed him to build solid links with the technical staff. “In the end, I’m working with engineers I’ve known for a while. I’ve participated in simulator sessions with them to support the team,” he specifies. Result: “It made the transition much simpler.”
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In such a competitive environment, this familiarity represents a considerable advantage.
Key reunion with Laurent Mekies
Another determining factor: the presence of Laurent Mekies in a key position. The French executive, promoted to Red Bull during the 2025 season, thus reunites with Hadjar for a second collaboration in Formula 1.
The driver sees this reunion as an essential anchor point. “Having Laurent as a leader is great,” he confides. Their relationship is not new: “I made my F1 debut with him, so starting my second season with him is a good thing.”
This human stability seems to offer Hadjar a reassuring framework to face one of the most dreaded challenges in the paddock: being Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. “It’s nice, everything has been very smooth. I feel lucky,” he concludes.
Now it remains to transform this serenity into on-track performance. Because at Red Bull, rapid adaptation is not just an asset: it is an absolute necessity.
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