In a striking show of sportsmanship, Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson has publicly endorsed his teammate Isack Hadjar as ready to step up to Red Bull Racing, potentially as early as 2026.
The French rookie has made waves in his debut Formula 1 season, and Lawson’s glowing praise underscores Hadjar’s meteoric rise as one of the sport’s brightest talents.
Widely regarded as the standout rookie of 2025 along with Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Hadjar cemented his reputation with a maiden F1 podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, a feat that places him among an elite group of drivers to achieve such a result with Red Bull’s junior team.
His consistent outperformance of Lawson since the latter’s return to Racing Bulls has fueled speculation that Hadjar could be in line to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing in 2026, especially as current driver Yuki Tsunoda continues to face challenges.
Speaking to reporters at Monza, Lawson was unequivocal in his assessment of Hadjar’s readiness for the top tier.
“He’s done a very good job this year,” commented the Kiwi. “To have a podium this season is pretty spectacular. He’s doing a really great job.”
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Lawson highlighted Hadjar’s preparedness for a potential promotion, noting the unique circumstances that could play to the rookie’s advantage.
“In some ways, I think a lot of drivers always feel ready for another step. He's doing all the right things right now,” Lawson said.
With the 2026 season introducing sweeping new technical regulations, including vastly different car designs, Hadjar’s adaptability could be a key asset.
“It depends on what position the car is in next year, how it is to drive,” Lawson added. “That’s probably the biggest thing about that seat right now.
“So there are a lot of variables there. As a driver, he's ready. If you're ready to be in F1 in the first place, I think you'd be ready for that kind of position.”
While Hadjar’s performances have sparked discussions about his future, Red Bull Racing remains measured in its decision-making process.
Team boss Laurent Mekies, speaking at Monza, emphasized that the team is in no rush to finalize its 2026 lineup.
“I think we made it clear, very public, we have time with our driver decision. We have enough drivers in the driver programme to cover quite a few scenarios for next year. We don't have a reason to rush,” Mekies said.
He also confirmed that no changes would be made to the current lineup for the remainder of the 2025 season, expressing satisfaction with Tsunoda’s recent progress.
“No, we do not plan to change during the season. Yuki has been making a good step in the last three races, we want more, but he's doing a good job. First time in the points after seven races, best Qualifying with the team at Spa, he's on a positive trend.”
Mekies also acknowledged Hadjar’s remarkable development, describing his recent performances as a “fantastic demonstration of the progress he has been doing during the season.”
However, he reiterated the team’s relaxed stance on driver decisions.
“It's extremely nice to watch Isack's progress and to see him performing at the level he did in the last race,” he said.
“[It] was a fantastic demonstration of the progress he has been doing during the season but we are relaxed about the driver topic, we have all the cards on the Red Bull side.”
For now, Lawson and Hadjar remain focused on Racing Bulls, but the conversation around Red Bull’s 2026 line-up is only intensifying – and Lawson’s own words have added fuel to the fire.
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