Rising star Isack Hadjar has said he would welcome the chance to be Max Verstappen’s team-mate at Red Bull next season.
The 21-year-old French driver is favourite to move up from Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls, to replace Yuki Tsunoda alongside Verstappen in 2026. Reports say Red Bull will confirm Verstappen’s new team-mate next week.
Hadjar admitted he knows the challenge will be huge, but sees it as a key step in his career. “I’ve always been stronger than my team-mates, but to be alongside the best in the world is an amazing opportunity to learn,” he told AFP in Doha ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.
Asked if he could beat Verstappen as a team-mate, Hadjar said: “No. He’s better in every way, he drives better, makes fewer mistakes, and has more experience.”
Hadjar has impressed in his debut F1 season, earning a podium in the Dutch Grand Prix and currently sits ninth in the championship with 51 points.
Verstappen is chasing a fifth straight title, level on points with Oscar Piastri, 24 points behind McLaren’s Lando Norris with two races left.
