Isack Hadjar is making a positive transition to Red Bull Racing as Max Verstappen's teammate for the 2026 Formula 1 season, replacing Yuki Tsunoda. The young French driver has expressed comfort in the team's intense environment and a good working relationship with Verstappen. Former teammates Alexander Albon and Sergio Perez have voiced support for his potential success.
Isack Hadjar has kept a low profile during the winter but shows signs of adapting well to Red Bull Racing's demanding setup. Replacing Yuki Tsunoda alongside reigning champion Max Verstappen, the 21-year-old Frenchman feels more at ease than he did at the sister Racing Bulls team.
"As a guy like me who really enjoys the hard work, I felt a bit more comfortable here," Hadjar said. "I’m very, very happy working with these guys who are very committed to winning. I’m very happy to be here. I’m very lucky. It’s going very smoothly."
Hadjar highlighted his positive rapport with Verstappen. "Max doesn’t hide any data," he told Auto Hebdo. "He doesn’t withhold any information from me and answers all my questions. And since he always performs well on the track, our data can be easily compared." He added that Verstappen's feedback matches the telemetry: "He’s not lying. For me, it’s important that what the driver says matches the data. That helps my development a lot."
Support comes from former Verstappen teammates. Alexander Albon noted, "I think Isack is a fast driver, and the rule change in 2026 is a good thing for him – it’s a clean slate for everyone. From what I’ve seen so far, he seems quite comfortable in the car. He’ll have a lot to learn, having a very fast teammate like Max, but I think he’ll do quite well."
Sergio Perez agreed: "He is ready to go to Red Bull. With such a change in regulations, I think Isack is a very talented driver. If he keeps a cool head throughout the year, he’ll have a long and successful F1 career. Being Max’s teammate at Red Bull, in a very good team, is a huge opportunity."
Hadjar remains realistic about Red Bull's position. "What’s certain is that we’re not the fastest," he admitted, viewing the team as fourth-strongest ahead of the Melbourne opener, where an eighth-place finish would be acceptable. He rates Ferrari as strongest, followed by Mercedes and McLaren. Still, he is optimistic: "Our reliability is good and the race pace looks solid. I expect, at least at the start of the season, that we will be more competitive in the race than in qualifying."
