Isack Hadjar has stated that his first season in Formula 1 this year is serving as a preparation for the major challenge that awaits him in 2026, when the new technical regulations of the category come into effect. The French driver of Racing Bulls has been standing out in his rookie year, especially after achieving third place in the Dutch Grand Prix, his best result so far.
The good performance, combined with Yuki Tsunoda’s recent difficulties at Red Bull Racing, has placed Hadjar as a strong candidate for a possible promotion to the main team in 2026, alongside Max Verstappen.
Despite the recent changes in leadership, with Laurent Mekies taking charge at Red Bull Racing after Christian Horner’s departure, and Alan Permane being appointed team principal at Racing Bulls, Hadjar stated that the internal environment remains stable.
“I didn’t feel a big change,” he said. “Alan has always been here, it wasn’t like we swapped someone for someone from outside. I felt that both of them just got a promotion, let’s say. What I like the most is having people who lead the team and, at the same time, have a technical background. This is very interesting for us, drivers, because we can trust them. It’s a double advantage: a businessman and an engineer,” he added.
With the new generation of chassis and power units arriving in Formula 1 in 2026, Mekies and Permane will lead the Red Bull group in this new phase. For Hadjar, this makes the learning process in 2025 even more important.
“Next year, the development will be huge. It’s very important that when I give my feedback, everything I say helps push the team in the right direction. I’m aware of this, this year is all about training for the next one. 2026 will be a season where the brain will make a difference,” Hadjar concluded.
