After years of rapid turnover in the second Red Bull seat, it seems the team have finally found a long-term fit in Isack Hadjar. Team boss Laurent Mekies has expressed his contentment in the Frenchman, who made his debut with the team in Australia this year.
Hadjar - a long-time Red Bull junior - previously raced for Racing Bulls where he made his debut in 2025, before making the move to the senior team to race alongside Max Verstappen.
Hadjar has managed to keep up with Verstappen, something we haven’t seen since Perez exited the team
Recent teammates of Verstappen haven’t quite been able to keep up with the veteran Red Bull driver, with Yuki Tsunoda - current reserve driver - and Liam Lawson - now at VCARB - unable to retain their seat alongside him. Despite ongoing issues with the 2026 car, Hadjar has been able to match Verstappen in a way we haven't seen since Cadillac’s Sergio Perez left Red Bull in 2024, after a difficult season in a car that seemed to only suit Verstappen.
Mekies has been impressed with the way Hadjar has adapted, and while uncertainty looms over four-time World Champion Verstappen’s future, Hadjar looks to be staying with the team.
Speaking over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Mekies said: "It is good news that we have a strong second driver for the first time in quite a long time. That was one of our goals prior to this season. Isack is performing solidly and has learned a lot from the team and from Max."
Will Red Bull retain Hadjar as a long-term driver?
It seems likely that Red Bull will retain Hadjar into 2027 and beyond, especially as uncertainty looms over Verstappen's future. Red Bull have faced ongoing instability over their second seat, and with an issue-plagued car, they will be seeking some kind of reliability over the course of the rest of the season, and into 2027.
Speaking about the lineup at the team, Mekies said: “It is good news, also for Max, that our two cars are a bit closer together. We haven't discussed the future yet, but everyone can see that Isack is doing an excellent job. So we will make a logical decision.”
Heading into the summer break, both drivers have been able to perform consistently, with Verstappen on the podium at the Hungaroring, and Hadjar scoring a solid points haul in sixth place. Hadjar is currently eighth in the standings, trailing Verstappen in sixth, and despite frustrations with the RB22, it appears that the Milton Keynes-based team have finally built a car that somewhat works for both of its drivers.
