Isack Hadjar is the seventh driver to line up alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull since 2016, and the young Frenchman has admitted he had his concerns about taking on that role.

The seat next to Verstappen has developed a reputation over the years, with several drivers struggling to meet expectations. After Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2019, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda all found it difficult to keep pace.

Hadjar stepped into the role after a strong rookie season with Racing Bulls. Although the team hoped new regulations would signal a fresh start, there was still plenty of talk about past issues surrounding that second seat.

Hadjar admits Verstappen’s track record was a concern before his Red Bull move

Damon Hill had warned that Verstappen could overwhelm Hadjar mentally, given how others had struggled before him. It was a warning that clearly wasn’t lost on the young Frenchman.

Speaking to F1’s official YouTube channel, Hadjar admitted the past struggles of Verstappen’s teammates weighed on his mind. However, he was confident in his ability to prove himself.

“Of course I did in a way because, you look at the gaps between Max’s teammates and you’re like, ‘Wow, this is weird,” he said about joining Red Bull.

“But at the same time I’m realistic. I’m like, it’s a new regulation, we have the same car. If I believe I’m good, I’m good. And that’s end of the story.”

Isack Hadjar has closed the gap to Max Verstappen in 2026

And he wasn’t wrong. Hadjar has looked much closer to Verstappen so far this season, even holding a 2-1 lead in qualifying after outpacing him in Australia and Japan.

His performance in Melbourne was particularly strong, lining up third on the grid before retiring with a mechanical issue, while Verstappen crashed during qualifying. Marc Priestley said after that Red Bull ‘desperately’ needed Hadjar.

While Verstappen has 12 points compared to Hadjar’s four, the pace difference is smaller than it’s been for years. James Hinchcliffe went as far as to say Hadjar had ended Red Bull’s ‘second car blues’, and the young Frenchman feels he’s right there.

“Yeah, like you say, it’s a small sample,” Hadjar added. “The car is what it is right now, very hard to drive, but all the time I’m not too far.”

“And I’m happy with how I delivered in those first three races with the car I have underneath me, gave the most of it. All in all, it’s pretty good.”

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