Hadjar would love shot at Red Bull seat: ‘I’m a fighter, I’ll take it’

©RB

40

Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar is fast becoming the breakout name of the 2025 Formula 1 season – and he’s not shying away from the idea of stepping into the sport’s most high-pressure seat.

Outpacing teammate Liam Lawson, who was briefly promoted to Red Bull before being replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, and scoring points in half the races so far this season, Hadjar has fueled speculation about a potential call-up to Red Bull Racing to partner Max Verstappen.

Despite the notorious difficulties faced by drivers alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, the 20-year-old French-Algerian rookie says he wouldn’t hesitate if offered the chance.

“No — but I’ll take it,” Hadjar said candidly on Formula 1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, when asked if he felt ready for a call-up. “I’m a fighter, that’s all.”

“What drives me is fighting against the best in the world. To have Max as a team mate, I would learn so much.”

Hadjar also praised Verstappen’s demeanor, noting, “I think he’s a very chill guy. [He] gets on with everyone as long as things are fine on track. He’s a cool guy.

“The natural trajectory as a Red Bull Junior driver is to end up at Red Bull, right?”

Still, Hadjar isn’t letting the hype distract from the here and now.

“I’m so happy with my team. I’m just learning so much every weekend,” he added. “I just want to keep doing that. Just enjoy it. Enjoy the fights with the other guys, and don’t disappoint myself.”

Marko’s Backing: “He Gave Me a Chance”

Hadjar was nearly written off by Red Bull after a rough 2023 Formula 2 campaign, finishing 14th among six other junior drivers. But it was Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko who ultimately threw him a lifeline.

“The honest relationship [I have] with Helmut, he's the person that basically got me a seat in Formula 1, gave me a chance, a path, a trajectory to F1 — so I'm grateful for that,” Hadjar explained.

“I remember my first F2 season was kind of a nightmare. And he kept believing, he offered me a second chance, and I took it, and I delivered.”

Even in difficult moments, Marko’s hands-off style helped Hadjar build resilience.

“I didn't have much [contact with Marko], he was letting me go through it, which I think was good – adding extra stress on me, which I think was smart.”

With that backing and a breakthrough F2 runner-up finish in 2024, Hadjar’s rise to F1 – and potentially Red Bull’s main team – is no longer a question of if, but when.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.