Isack Hadjar celebrated his first Formula 1 podium during the race weekend in Zandvoort. Despite a challenging race at the subsequent GP in Monza, he managed to secure a valuable World Championship point for Racing Bulls. His performances have sparked questions about a possible future with the main team. However, former champion Nico Rosberg warns that Hadjar should always refuse the Red Bull seat next to Max Verstappen.
Hadjar is having an impressive debut season with Racing Bulls. The young Parisian recently brought the Red Bull junior team its first medal since Pierre Gasly‘s third place in 2021. During the recent Italian GP, he once again turned heads by driving from the pit lane to a commendable tenth place. The 20-year-old Hadjar is now the favorite to join Max Verstappen in the main team next year, partly due to the disappointing results of former teammate Yuki Tsunoda. However, Nico Rosberg warns against a promotion to Red Bull.
‘Don’t Try to Force Me’
“Another fantastic race,” the German summarized Hadjar’s Italian GP on Sky Sports. “But what if Laurent Mekies calls him on Monday and says: ‘Yuki is out, you can drive the next race?’ Then he should say no, right? I would refuse 100 percent. In fact, I would say: ‘No, I’m not doing it, don’t try to force me.'” Rosberg was then asked if Hadjar should also refuse if this is his only chance to get to Red Bull. “I don’t care, he just shouldn’t do it,” he responded vehemently.
“Red Bull can’t force him, can they?”, Rosberg added. “Who’s going to drag him there? No, I simply wouldn’t go.” The former Mercedes driver pointed to all the drivers who have already fallen by the wayside next to Max Verstappen. In just a few years, the Dutchman has already dispatched several top drivers, including Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, and Alex Albon. “Have you seen how risky that is?”, said Rosberg. “How many careers has Red Bull destroyed? Everyone knows what’s happening to Yuki Tsunoda; his career is hanging by a thread. And yet, there was not a cloud in sight at Racing Bulls.”
