Isack Hadjar has admitted that he\u2019s feeling some trepidation about the prospect of lining up alongside Max Verstappen in F1 2026, should he be promoted to Red Bull.<\/p>\n
The French driver is the leading prospect to be placed alongside Verstappen in the Red Bull driver line-up next year, having proven a sensation during his rookie season with Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n
\u2018No decision\u2019 as Isack Hadjar makes \u2018it\u2019s written\u2019 claim<\/p>\n
Having recently stepped onto the podium with third place at the Dutch Grand Prix, Hadjar added to what has been an already impressive season with the Faenza-based squad as he currently occupies ninth place in the Drivers\u2019 Championship.<\/p>\n
As a rookie, Hadjar has scored points in an additional six of the 16 Grands Prix so far this year, having bounced back strongly from a difficult start to his career when he crashed out of his debut race on the formation lap.<\/p>\n
The identity of Verstappen\u2019s teammate for 2026 is yet to be confirmed, with the experienced Yuki Tsunoda yet to show clear signs that he has adapted to life in an expected front-running car. Indeed, so calamitous has Tsunoda\u2019s season been so far that he has only scored 12 points in total \u2013 three of which came while he was still Hadjar\u2019s teammate at Racing Bulls during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.<\/p>\n
Verstappen, in the other car, has scored 230 points, a gulf that even eclipses the difference between the Dutch driver and 2024 teammate Sergio Perez, with the Mexican driver bought out of his contract at the conclusion of last season.<\/p>\n
The experimentation with placing the rookie driver Liam Lawson, followed quickly by the much more experienced Tsunoda, has failed to net Red Bull<\/a> any results, but Hadjar has shown very clear promise during what has been a meteoric rise in profile this year.<\/p>\n Hadjar is due to appear on Canal+ programme \u2018Clique\u2019 on September 22nd, and preview clips from his interview with presenter Mouloud Achour have added weight to the suggestion that it\u2019s the French driver who looks set to get the call-up to Red Bull next year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt scares me, but it\u2019s also incredibly exciting!\u201d Hadjar said of the prospect of being partnered with Verstappen.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing myself team up with Max? Of course! And what a line-up!\u201d<\/p>\n Aged just 20, Hadjar acknowledged that the challenge of being Verstappen\u2019s teammate \u2013 a position in which precious few drivers have thrived \u2013 is an opportunity too good to turn down, despite the difficulties others have faced.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, it\u2019s early in my career, but I may have this opportunity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou give me the same car as the best driver in the world, and he\u2019s right next to me. I have the opportunity to compare myself to him, and I have the same chances as him.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked by Achour whether his questions suggesting him as a Red Bull driver are \u201cspoilers\u201d, Hadjar replied,\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re not really spoiling, it\u2019s the trajectory. It\u2019s written.\u201d<\/p>\n Just how likely is Hadjar\u2019s promotion to the senior team after his first year? Sources close to the situation have suggested to PlanetF1.com that Hadjar may have already been informed by Helmut Marko that he\u2019s done enough to secure the seat, although other sources have indicated that the extent of the conversations between Marko and Hadjar has not been this unequivocal.<\/p>\n What is known is that an agreement to bring Hadjar to Red Bull has not yet been signed, and that, while the outlook is promising for him, the French driver must continue to impress Red Bull\u2019s management beyond Marko alone.<\/p>\n When approached for comment, a Red Bull spokesperson told PlanetF1.com, \u201cNo decisions on driver line-up have been finalised for 2026. Laurent [Mekies] has gone on record to say we will take our time and are in the very lucky position of having\u00a04\u00a0seats\u00a0to\u00a0fill.\u201d<\/p>\n Isack Hadjar v Red Bull squad: F1 2025 head-to-head stats<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\u00a0F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates<\/a><\/p>\n