Isack Hadjar on Max Verstappen: Inside Red Bull's Intense Duo
Few drivers have survived the challenge of being Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull, but Isack Hadjar is making an encouraging start to life alongside the reigning Formula 1 superstar. After an impressive rookie campaign earned him a promotion to the senior team, the French driver has already shown flashes of pace that many of Verstappen's previous teammates struggled to produce.
Key Takeaways:
- Isack Hadjar says Max Verstappen is "very open" and always willing to share advice.
- The Red Bull rookie has already outqualified Verstappen twice during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
- Hadjar admits every lap alongside the four-time world champion pushes him to his absolute limit.
- The Frenchman believes making mistakes now will help prepare him for a future title challenge.
Hadjar Reveals What It's Really Like Racing Alongside Verstappen
While Verstappen remains Red Bull's benchmark, Hadjar has managed to outqualify him twice this season and has finished within just 0.12 seconds of his teammate on four other occasions. Those performances suggest the youngster is adapting far quicker than many expected.
Verstappen Doesn't Hide His Secrets
Despite Verstappen's reputation as one of Formula 1's fiercest competitors, Hadjar says the Dutchman has been remarkably approachable inside the garage. "He definitely doesn't ask me for advice," Hadjar joked. "But if I ask him, he answers. If I need information, he's very open, very kind."
According to Hadjar, Verstappen has no reason to keep information to himself because of the confidence he has in his own abilities. That openness has helped the young Frenchman settle into one of the toughest seats in Formula 1 while learning directly from one of the sport's greatest talents.
Every Lap Is a Lesson
Sharing a garage with Verstappen also means there is nowhere to hide. Hadjar admitted that every session becomes a personal benchmark as soon as his teammate sets a flying lap. "There's just no time to be lazy," he explained. "Every time you go on track, he sets a lap, and it's the highest level you've ever seen."
Rather than becoming discouraged, Hadjar views the challenge as motivation, saying he has to "dig very deep" every time he gets behind the wheel simply to stay close to Verstappen's pace.
Learning Today to Fight for Titles Tomorrow
The relentless pursuit of Verstappen has inevitably resulted in a few costly mistakes, including his crash during the Miami Grand Prix and contact with the wall in Monaco practice. However, Hadjar believes these experiences are a necessary part of his development.
"Ideally you don't repeat them," he said. "I'm young, it's my second year, I make the mistakes now. When I have a car to be world champion, I don't make the mistakes."
Instead of dwelling on errors, the Red Bull driver remains focused on measuring himself against what he considers Formula 1's highest standard. If Hadjar continues on his current trajectory, Red Bull may finally have found a teammate capable of consistently challenging Verstappen while accelerating his own path toward future championship contention.
