Isack Hadjar impresses champion Max Verstappen
The Frenchman, currently leading the Formula 2 championship, is catching the eye of the Formula 1 world and mainly Red Bull. He was recently praised by three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who believes the driver is doing a great job and already has the potential to join the series.
Can French driver Isack Hadjar still hope for a Formula 1 seat as early as next year? While rumors around Red Bull and its sister team Racing Bulls continue circulating, no official decision has been made yet. Drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Pérez are under pressure, as their positions are at risk if their performances do not improve in the second half of the season. In this situation, two names emerge as potential replacements: Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, both from the Red Bull young driver academy.
A young driver who seduces
Despite having less experience in F1 than Liam Lawson, who had already taken part in several Grand Prix when he replaced Daniel Ricciardo, the French driver hopes to prove Helmut Marko wrong. The Austrian recently explained that he would like to give the Frenchman a role similar to that of the New Zealander. This would involve working in collaboration with both Red Bull teams for a year as a test and simulation driver, aiming for a race seat in 2026. His results seem to be proving him right. The Campos driver is currently leading the Formula 2 championship with 165 points, having already won four feature races this season.
His results have earned him the attention of Red Bull’s leaders, who have already offered him several free practice sessions in F1. The latest took place at Silverstone at the wheel of the RB20 in place of Sergio Pérez. Even Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, praised the qualities of the young Frenchman, describing him as an impressive driver in terms of speed and consistency after observing him throughout the season. The Frenchman notably scored more than 10 points in 7 of the last 8 race weekends.
« Of course, I see him here and there walking around with the team, he has driven the car a few times. And he is doing an excellent job. He had a bit of bad luck at the beginning of this season. I guess that’s all you have to do. And then, it’s obviously up to management to decide,” he commented. The Dutchman seems to be suggesting that the Campos driver deserves his place in Formula 1, considering that he is already doing everything necessary to achieve it. The decision now belongs to the officials of the Austrian team, with Helmut Marko at the forefront.
A bucket that will depend on luck
Helmut Marko has recognized Isack Hadjar’s potential to race in F1, but he seems reluctant to offer him a seat next year, preferring him to gain more experience. We will see how things evolve, but he will definitely play a role. It is possible that, like Lawson, he will spend a year as a test and simulator driver.
Nevertheless, the mixed performances of Sergio Pérez and Daniel Ricciardo, combined with the promising results of Isack Hadjar, could change the situation. Red Bull has not yet announced who will be Yuki Tsunoda’s teammate at Racing Bulls for the next season and they are reluctant to honor the contract of their Mexican driver which runs until 2026. Leaving the door open to possible changes during the season.
For Isack Hadjar, the objective is clear: to continue shining in Formula 2 and hope for a challenging second part of the season for the Red Bull drivers. If the Frenchman maintains his level of performance, he could well join the select group of Formula 1 drivers as early as 2025.
