{"id":385084,"date":"2026-01-01T16:58:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T16:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/385084\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T16:58:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T16:58:08","slug":"we-dont-see-it-as-a-landing-point-laurent-mekies-sets-out-expectations-for-isack-hadjar-at-red-bull-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/385084\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We don\u2019t see it as a landing point\u2019 \u2013 Laurent Mekies sets out expectations for Isack Hadjar at Red Bull in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">Laurent Mekies has shared an insight into Red Bull\u2019s expectations for Isack Hadjar as the French driver prepares to make the step up from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen at the squad in 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">After a tricky start to his rookie campaign in F1 \u2013 in which he spun out on the rain-affected formation lap of the Australian Grand Prix \u2013 <a class=\"text-brand-hot-red underline decoration-1 hover:decoration-[3px]\" data-f1rd-a7s-click=\"rich_text_atom_click\" data-f1rd-a7s-context=\"eyJhY3Rpb25UeXBlIjoiaGFkamFyX2xpbmtfY2xpY2tlZCIsImNsaWNrVGV4dCI6dHJ1ZSwicGF0aCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcm11bGExLmNvbS9lbi9kcml2ZXJzL2lzYWNrLWhhZGphciIsInBhdGhUeXBlIjoiaW50ZXJuYWwifQ==\" href=\"https:\/\/www.formula1.com\/en\/drivers\/isack-hadjar\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Hadjar<\/a> quickly bounced back and went on to score several points finishes throughout the year, including a maiden podium at Zandvoort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">It was later <a class=\"text-brand-hot-red underline decoration-1 hover:decoration-[3px]\" data-f1rd-a7s-click=\"rich_text_atom_click\" data-f1rd-a7s-context=\"eyJhY3Rpb25UeXBlIjoiY29uZmlybWVkX2RheXNfYmVmb3JlX3RoZV9hYnVfZGhhYmlfc2Vhc29uX2ZpbmFsZV9saW5rX2NsaWNrZWQiLCJjbGlja1RleHQiOnRydWUsInBhdGgiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mb3JtdWxhMS5jb20vZW4vbGF0ZXN0L2FydGljbGUvaGFkamFyLWVhcm5zLXJlZC1idWxsLXNlYXQtZm9yLTIwMjYtYXMtcm9va2llLWxpbmRibGFkLWpvaW5zLWxhd3Nvbi1hdC4zYWd5YXZtd2NQOUxKa1ZrUlhXU0ViIiwicGF0aFR5cGUiOiJpbnRlcm5hbCJ9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.formula1.com\/en\/latest\/article\/hadjar-earns-red-bull-seat-for-2026-as-rookie-lindblad-joins-lawson-at.3agyavmwcP9LJkVkRXWSEb\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">confirmed days before the Abu Dhabi season finale<\/a> that the 21-year-old will replace Yuki Tsunoda at <a class=\"text-brand-hot-red underline decoration-1 hover:decoration-[3px]\" data-f1rd-a7s-click=\"rich_text_atom_click\" data-f1rd-a7s-context=\"eyJhY3Rpb25UeXBlIjoicmVkX2J1bGxfbGlua19jbGlja2VkIiwiY2xpY2tUZXh0Ijp0cnVlLCJwYXRoIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm9ybXVsYTEuY29tL2VuL3RlYW1zL3JlZC1idWxsLXJhY2luZyIsInBhdGhUeXBlIjoiaW50ZXJuYWwifQ==\" href=\"https:\/\/www.formula1.com\/en\/teams\/red-bull-racing\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Red Bull<\/a> in 2026 as he enters into his sophomore season, while the Japanese driver is set to become a test and reserve driver for both Red Bull and <a class=\"text-brand-hot-red underline decoration-1 hover:decoration-[3px]\" data-f1rd-a7s-click=\"rich_text_atom_click\" data-f1rd-a7s-context=\"eyJhY3Rpb25UeXBlIjoicmFjaW5nX2J1bGxzX2xpbmtfY2xpY2tlZCIsImNsaWNrVGV4dCI6dHJ1ZSwicGF0aCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcm11bGExLmNvbS9lbi90ZWFtcy9yYWNpbmctYnVsbHMiLCJwYXRoVHlwZSI6ImludGVybmFsIn0=\" href=\"https:\/\/www.formula1.com\/en\/teams\/racing-bulls\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Racing Bulls<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">Reflecting back on how Hadjar performed in 2025, <a class=\"text-brand-hot-red underline decoration-1 hover:decoration-[3px]\" data-f1rd-a7s-click=\"rich_text_atom_click\" data-f1rd-a7s-context=\"eyJhY3Rpb25UeXBlIjoibWVraWVzX2xpbmtfY2xpY2tlZCIsImNsaWNrVGV4dCI6dHJ1ZSwicGF0aCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcm11bGExLmNvbS9lbi9sYXRlc3QvdGFncy9sYXVyZW50LW1la2llcy4xUTJzVGNOTDNYYWcxUTlrcjNXbW1YIiwicGF0aFR5cGUiOiJpbnRlcm5hbCJ9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.formula1.com\/en\/latest\/tags\/laurent-mekies.1Q2sTcNL3Xag1Q9kr3WmmX\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mekies<\/a> explained: \u201cIsack has had an unbelievable first season. There is no doubt that in terms of starting point \u2013 so where he started in January \u2013 the starting point was outstanding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">\u201cThen we are strong believers not only in the raw talent, but also the ability of the drivers to develop. We have seen so many champions developing through the years, doing things that they had not done in the car a few races before.<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">\u201cWe&#8217;ve seen that with Isack this year too. We\u2019ve seen him making stuff in the car that he was not doing three races before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">In terms of what his expectations are for Hadjar next season, the Red Bull Team Principal continued: \u201cTo answer your question, we expect \u2013 we would like him to continue onto that path. We don&#8217;t see it as a landing point.<\/p>\n<p class=\"typography-module_body-s-regular__ul7F5 typography-module_md_body-m-regular__d9VRg typography-module_lg_body-l-regular__dPa5z\">\u201cWe see it as another start for him to continue to develop, to continue to impress us, to continue to surprise us. And you will expect that in the second year. You will expect that in the third year, perhaps in the fourth year. So that&#8217;s a little bit the journey for us together.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Laurent Mekies has shared an insight into Red Bull\u2019s expectations for Isack Hadjar as the French driver prepares&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":385085,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[572],"tags":[64,63,806,805,803,804,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-385084","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-motosport","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-motor","11":"tag-motor-sports","12":"tag-motosport","13":"tag-motosports","14":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=385084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/385085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=385084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=385084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=385084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}