Red Bull Places Faith in Hadjar's 'Mega' Potential for 2026 Championship Push

Red Bull Racing Team Principal Laurent Mekies has expressed strong confidence in rookie Isack Hadjar's "mega" potential as the French driver prepares to partner four-time World Champion Max Verstappen for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Milton Keynes-based squad announced ahead of last season's finale that Hadjar would replace Yuki Tsunoda, who has stepped back into a reserve driver role.

A History of Struggle in the Second Seat

The second Red Bull seat has presented a unique challenge since Verstappen became the team's lead driver. Both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda struggled to match the Dutchman's performances in 2025, continuing a trend that saw previous occupants Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly also fail to live up to Verstappen's performance levels.

Mekies acknowledged this challenge at the recent Autosport Business Exchange, stating: "We are not hiding behind the fact that we need to do a better job with that second car, and that includes the second part of last year. Yes, we made some progress with Yuki, but not at the level that we felt we should have reached, so we are aware that we need to do a better job there."

Hadjar's "Outstanding" Raw Speed

The Team Principal highlighted Hadjar's exceptional raw talent as a key factor in their decision. "We think the level at which he started last year, his starting speed was outstanding – at the level of the very best," Mekies explained. "But then we equally believe that the big guys, the champions – not only do they have an incredible starting point, but they progress."

Mekies continued: "It's not only progressing with maturity or with your dialogues with the engineers, they actually go faster. We have seen that with Isack last year at Racing Bulls, so we are convinced that the potential is mega."

From Rough Start to Regular Podium Contender

Hadjar's journey to the Red Bull seat wasn't without challenges. After a rough start that saw him crash on the formation lap at the Australian Grand Prix, the Frenchman quickly found his rhythm, achieving a podium at Zandvoort and becoming a regular in Q3 qualifying sessions.

This momentum could prove crucial in 2026 as all 22 drivers must adapt to the new cars featuring major regulation changes in power units and aerodynamics. Mekies believes Hadjar's approach to pre-season preparation will give him an edge.

'Maximum Intensity' Approach

"I guess in some respects, the fact that everything's changed in 2026, he's also been given a reset about how you go about extracting as much as you can from the car," Mekies said. "He has been taking it from day one with maximum intensity. He has moved to London. He’s on the sim as we speak and is there quite a few days each week."

The Team Principal praised Hadjar's character and approach: "He's fully aware of the challenge. He has his feet on the ground. He's a very humble guy, and we are going to support him 360 [degrees] to make sure that he can express his talent in that car."

Teammate Dynamics at Racing Bulls

At sister team Racing Bulls – where Hadjar originally caught the eye – lone rookie Arvid Lindblad will join forces with Liam Lawson. This creates an interesting dynamic within the Red Bull driver development program as Hadjar makes the jump to the senior team.

With Red Bull facing increased competition from rival teams and the significant regulation changes ahead, Mekies recognizes there are no easy solutions. "There is no easy solution. It's a complex equation that we approach as such," he admitted.

As the 2026 season approaches, all eyes will be on whether Hadjar can break the pattern of struggles in the second Red Bull seat and help the team maintain its competitive edge in Formula 1's new era.