Hadjar on Verstappen: 'He has no peak, it's flat — that's what makes him so tough'

Isack Hadjar has lifted the lid on what it is like to be Max Verstappen's team-mate at Red Bull, describing the four-time World Champion as a driver operating at "the prime of the prime" of Formula 1 form — one who rarely has a bad day and simply refuses to make mistakes.

The Frenchman, in his sophomore F1 season, was brought into Red Bull alongside Verstappen after an impressive debut campaign in 2025 that included a podium at Zandvoort. Despite a wrist injury that forced him to miss three races, Hadjar returned with his most competitive weekend yet in Azerbaijan, pushing Verstappen all the way and securing another podium at Baku, following the one eventually confirmed at Monaco.

Isack Hadjar in action for Red Bull at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Speaking on the latest episode of F1's official podcast, Beyond the Grid, Hadjar explained the unique challenge of going up against Verstappen in equal machinery — a seat many drivers have failed to hold on to over the years.

"I'm probably facing the prime of the prime of the level you can achieve in Formula 1 and he's just next to me in the garage. To experience this at my age, this early in my career, I'm one very, very lucky guy," said Hadjar.

The 21-year-old was quick to praise the world champion as a person as well as a driver, insisting the relationship between the two is a constructive one.

"He's a very, very kind guy. We get along really well. It's good to work with him. I'm grateful because he gives me so much to work with, to improve, which probably no one else can give. So just for that, I'm thankful and it's great."

'It's like he has no peak — it's flat'

Hadjar revealed that Verstappen on track matches everything he had imagined — and often exceeds it — pointing to the Dutchman's remarkable consistency as the decisive factor in their intra-team battle.

"I would say it's exactly what I expected Max Verstappen to be on the track. I had an idea of how good he was and it translates really well. What I have in my mind that I want to achieve on track, he kind of does it. But there's always a difference between what you're aiming to do and what you actually deliver."

That difference, Hadjar explained, is rooted in Verstappen's ability to maintain an impossibly high baseline through every corner, every lap and every session.

"There's always a little gap sometimes, but he's constant, he doesn't like really have low moments. I would say, it's just like no mistake. He's always at the right time, the right place as well. He creates his own luck a bit."

Describing the granular reality of benchmarking himself against the champion, Hadjar detailed how Verstappen edges ahead not with flashes of brilliance but with relentless uniformity.

"Let's say on a track, you have like 15 corners and maybe there's one corner you master, or two, three, four, five corners, you do really, really well. But he matches you there and then on the others, he keeps that same level.

"And then over the lap, he makes the lap time difference. I wouldn't say I look at the data and I'm like, 'I can't reproduce this.' It's how often he does it. That makes the big difference at the end. It's like he has no peak, it's flat. It's up there, but it's flat. It's what makes him such a tough driver."

'I love the challenge'

Far from being intimidated, Hadjar said he relishes the daily test Verstappen provides, calling it a welcome departure from everything he has experienced across his career.

"But I love the challenge. I love going into every session knowing that he's going to set a benchmark that I need to match and I need to overcome. It's just exciting. It changes from everything I've had my whole career."

Red Bull have already confirmed Hadjar will remain with the team for 2027 — a decision backed by Verstappen himself — and the Frenchman's ambitions are clear. While satisfied with his progress, he knows precisely where the gaps remain.

"I think so far now I've been doing a good job at being there," said Hadjar on his performances so far. "But there's still that thing missing... There are a few things that I need to align a bit more. Sometimes it can be a race start that we compromise.

"Sometimes it's that first stint with the heavy car killing the tyres a bit early, being two positions up the grid in qualifying, you're missing half a tenth, and then you have a different Sunday unfortunately. It's all these little things you can align like Max does, and then you're in contention."

With Verstappen's benchmark on the other side of the garage and a contract secured through 2027, Hadjar believes podiums — and eventually wins — are within reach if he can iron out those final details.