Hadjar on Verstappen team-up: ‘Frightening – but that’s the dream’

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar admits he’s caught in a whirlwind of emotions as whispers grow louder about a potential move to Red Bull’s senior team in 2026, where he’d line up alongside none other than Max Verstappen.

The 20-year-old Frenchman, who has impressed massively in his debut Formula 1 season, admitted the idea of racing with the sport’s dominant force is both “frightening” and “exciting” – it’s a challenge that could define his career.

Hadjar’s standout rookie campaign with Racing Bulls has seen him rack up eight top ten finishes, including a dazzling podium at Zandvoort.

With Red Bull’s current lineup in flux – Liam Lawson’s brief stint ended after just two races, and Yuki Tsunoda is still struggling to keep pace – Hadjar’s name is swirling in the rumor mill as a prime candidate to join Verstappen.

Here to Fight Against the Best

Ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, the young driver opened up about the tantalizing yet daunting prospect.

“It’s the dream. That’s why I’m in Formula 1. It’s not just to be there and drive, make money, go home,” said Hadjar.

“I’m not here for that, I’m here to fight against the best and show myself what I can do. When you have Max as a team mate, I don’t think there’s a better reference.

“It’s definitely a bit frightening, but at the same time, it really excites me to be one day his team mate.”

Hadjar admits ‘the noise if annoying’

While speculation about his future continues to intensify, Hadjar admitted that the constant questioning about his 2026 seat has started to wear thin.

“Actually, I'd like to know at the end of the year,” he said. “It's more annoying than anything, the noise. So five races to keep pushing. In an ideal world, I'd like everyone to wait for the end of the year before asking me questions.”

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When asked if he might already know his fate before any official announcement, Hadjar laughed:

“I will definitely know before it's announced. Otherwise, there's a problem.”

Focused on finishing strong

Hadjar’s recent outings in Singapore and Austin yielded no points, but he remains unfazed, confident that his season-long performance speaks for itself.

“If there is one more weekend to make the difference, then I need to be performing well,” he said.

“Honestly, I’ve no regrets this year on what I’ve done, and I don’t think one weekend is going to change the decision, except if I end up on the podium or win the race.

“I’m happy with my season. I’m going to keep pushing and try to put that car in the top 10 this time.”

As the F1 paddock heads into the final five rounds, the question isn’t just whether Hadjar will earn the Red Bull call-up — but how he’ll handle the growing spotlight that comes with being Verstappen’s potential next teammate.

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