Official: Isack Hadjar promoted to F1 at Racing Bulls

While many sources mentioned advanced discussions between Franco Colapinto and the Austrian team, another driver emerged: Isack Hadjar. The Frenchman, second in the Formula 2 championship, had confirmed being [the next on the list](link) in the event of a change within Christian Horner’s team. A statement not so trivial considering the recent performances of the Argentine and the Mexican.

He had the opportunity to test the world champion Red Bull of Max Verstappen twice this year. In 2023, Isack Hadjar has already been seen twice behind the wheel of an F1, the most powerful single-seaters in the world. His grand debut was during the Mexican Grand Prix, with Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri, during a free practice session. The Frenchman set the 17th fastest time and described the experience as the best day of his life. This year, he replaced the Dutchman during the first free practice session on the Yas Marina track. It was an opportunity the Formula 2 driver did not waste.

The Red Bull academy driver had a spectacular Formula 2 season. Even though he did not hide his disappointment after losing the title due to a problem in the last race of the season. Ultimately finishing second in the championship, 22.5 points behind the winner Gabriel Bortoleto, the Frenchman spoke about the challenges of driving in both F1 and F2 during the same race weekend. « Honestly, yesterday was really exhausting, having to switch from F2 to F1 and then back to F2. And the most difficult part was getting used to the F2 car again. »

Liam’s left the door Hadjar for Isack 🤝#F1 #VCARB #IsackHadjar pic.twitter.com/1wMMSvM2mz

— Visa Cash App RB F1 Team (@visacashapprb) December 20, 2024

A logical sequence for him

Isack Hadjar has always been seen as someone who would climb the ranks at lightning speed. The announcement of his appointment will allow for three French drivers on the starting grid next season, a first since 2020.

Isack Hadjar declared: « I am very excited to take on my new role at VCARB. This is a huge moment for me, my family, and everyone who has believed in me from the beginning. The journey from karting to higher categories in single-seaters, finally reaching Formula 1, is a lifelong dream. I feel like I’m entering a whole new world, with a much faster car and races against the best drivers in the world. It will be a huge learning curve, but I’m ready to work hard and give my best for the team. I can’t wait to work with Yuki and learn from him. I’ve always admired him: he went through the Red Bull junior program, just like me, and we’ve followed a similar path to F1. His experience will be invaluable, and I’m sure he’ll be an excellent mentor. »

Laurent Mekies, director of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls team, stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Isack to the team next year. He will bring a new dynamic alongside Yuki in 2025. His journey to Formula 1 is simply remarkable: he has shown impressive progression with a series of standout results in junior categories. He possesses the talent and determination necessary to compete at the highest level, and we have full confidence in his ability to adapt quickly and make a significant impact. I am convinced that Isack and Yuki will form an excellent duo. Yuki’s invaluable experience, resilience, and maturity will be crucial assets to achieve our goals in 2025.”

Peter Bayer, CEO of Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, added: « First of all, we must congratulate Liam on his promotion to Oracle Red Bull Racing. As a sister team and talent incubator for Formula 1, our strategic objective is to train and prepare our drivers to take this crucial step. This transfer, along with Isack’s integration into VCARB, demonstrates our long-standing commitment to developing the best young drivers in motorsport, while validating the Red Bull junior program concept. Integrating a young driver fits into our mission to engage a younger audience. We look forward to taking our new and old fans on this journey with us. »