With just six races left, Isack Hadjar will soon shed his rookie status. The Formula 2 runner-up joined Racing Bulls this year and, after a challenging start to the season in Melbourne, quickly found his stride. The young Parisian has become a consistent performer within the team, with his debut year crowned by his first podium finish in Zandvoort. This achievement has, for the first time in his career, taken the pressure off Hadjar.
It remains unclear which of the two Red Bull teams Isack Hadjar will race for next year, but it is certain that he currently belongs in the premier class. During the Singapore GP, he confirmed that he has contractual security until 2026. Top advisor Helmut Marko had already assured in Baku that Max Verstappen and Hadjar have nothing to fear for the upcoming season. This is a first for the French-Algerian talent, who finds it unfamiliar not having to prove himself anymore.
‘I’ve Always Thrived Under Pressure’
The media in Singapore asked Hadjar about the upcoming Grands Prix and the apparent decrease in pressure on his young career. “It’s always a nice position to be in,” he responded. “But at the same time, I’ve become accustomed throughout my entire career to having to prove myself until the very last race. In every championship, I had to climb up the ranks, no matter what. So yes, this is actually a new situation for me, but it certainly takes some pressure off my shoulders.”
“I’ve always thrived under that pressure,” Hadjar quickly added. “I feel that’s when I perform at my best. We’ll see how I fare in the final Grands Prix. One thing is certain: I will always keep pushing and won’t shy away from taking risks.” After eighteen Grands Prix, Hadjar is in a respectable ninth place in the championship. Moreover, 39 of Racing Bulls’ 72 World Championship points are credited to him. The question now is whether he will inherit Yuki Tsunoda‘s Red Bull seat next year – Tsunoda scored only twenty points this year, seventeen of which were with the main team.
