After his podium finish in Zandvoort, Isack Hadjar has emerged as the new favourite to become Max Verstappen‘s teammate. However, the driver himself doesn’t see the immediate need to replace the struggling Yuki Tsunoda, but he certainly leaves the door ajar for a potential move in 2026.
Isack Hadjar surprised the entire paddock, including himself, when he unexpectedly drove to the third podium place in Zandvoort. The rookie only dared to hope in the final laps of the Dutch GP that he could climb the podium, and it was visibly a bit of an adjustment for Hadjar when he got the Delft blue trophy in his hands. Meanwhile, Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda could do no better than ninth place.
Prior to the Dutch GP, Hadjar had already been linked with a seat at sister team Red Bull, but since his successful race in Zandvoort, he is the favourite contender to potentially replace Tsunoda in 2026. “At the start of the year, they asked me if I was ready to step into Red Bull,” Hadjar tells in Monza. “The answer to that is still no. I don’t see the point in switching now.”
2026
However, the French-Algerian rookie still leaves the door ajar for a possible move, but not until 2026. “2026 is a whole different story, because that year represents a fresh start for all teams,” Hadjar continues. “There won’t be a question of a second seat. That wouldn’t be necessary, as it’s a brand new car for everyone. You’re in a phase where you need to steer the car in the right direction. So I actually find that very interesting.” For now, Hadjar confirms that neither Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies nor advisor Helmut Marko have approached the rookie to discuss a potential move.
