Isack Hadjar has clearly dismissed concerns that he could become a new victim of the Red Bull second seat syndrome: the gaps are small and confidence reigns.
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Arriving under strong pressure alongside Max Verstappen, four-time world champion, the Frenchman knew perfectly well what he was getting into.
Since 2019, this role has proven particularly tricky: Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Pérez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have all failed to get close to the Dutchman’s level, eventually being dropped.
Not even scared
Hadjar also admits he had doubts at the start of the season: “Of course, in a way. When you look at the gaps with Max’s teammates, you say to yourself: ‘It’s strange.’”
But he insists on one key point: the 2026 context changes the game: “It’s a new regulation, we have the same car. If I think I’m good, then I am, period.”
After three races, his analysis is measured but confident. He admits that the RB22 is difficult to drive — a feeling shared by Verstappen — but believes he is in the rhythm: “It’s a small sample, the car is what it is, very complicated to drive. But I’m not too far off, and I’m satisfied with what I’ve done with what I had.”
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This stance contrasts with the usual discourse of Red Bull’s second drivers, often locked in a logic of slow progression without ever closing the gap. Hadjar, on the other hand, displays a much more direct and assumed approach.
Confidence and work
Above all, his early performances suggest something rarer: an ability to adapt to the very specific behavior of Red Bull cars, a trait few drivers have mastered since Daniel Ricciardo.
The question remains open over the long term: for now, Hadjar does not position himself as a future victim of the system, but rather as a potential anomaly in a lineage where almost all have failed.
The young Frenchman (21 years old) took advantage of the unexpected spring break to fine-tune his preparation in the simulator in Milton Keynes and is eagerly awaiting the planned developments on the RB22 in Miami, while being aware that the competition is also sharpening its weapons.
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