Hadjar unfazed by Verstappen challenge at Red Bull

Isack Hadjar says he is not worried about becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull and believes he can avoid the problems that have hit several of the world champion’s previous partners as long as both drivers have identical cars.

Speaking to Viaplay in Barcelona, the newly promoted Red Bull driver said his first reaction to the move was excitement rather than nerves. “I was rather excited,” Hadjar said. “As long as we have equal cars, which we have now, I know it will be fine. That is how a Formula 1 team works. It would be strange if they could not get two cars to perform well.”

That confidence stands out because Verstappen’s side of the garage has become one of the toughest places on the grid. Hadjar is the Dutchman’s eighth teammate in Formula 1 at Red Bull, following a line that includes Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Pérez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, all named in the source material as drivers whose reputations suffered alongside the four-time world champion.

Hadjar said that pattern has not intimidated him, even if he has tried to understand it. He said he was “curious to understand why that happened,” but after seven race weekends alongside Verstappen he still had “not found the answer.” His conclusion, though, has not changed: “It should not happen to me.”

Part of that belief comes from what Hadjar sees inside the data. He described Verstappen as the benchmark in Formula 1, not because of one standout trait but because there is almost nothing to expose. “It is already a lot if you are faster than Max in one corner,” he said. “With Max, it is different. He is consistent and also at an enormously high level. That is impressive.”

Hadjar said that close-up view of Verstappen has only reinforced both sides of his own promotion. At times, he looks back and thinks, “I did make it after all.” At others, he feels just as strongly that “this is exactly where I belong.”

That matters for Red Bull because Hadjar is framing life alongside Verstappen as a reference point to measure himself against, not a role that is destined to damage him, with equal machinery the condition he believes will decide whether he can turn that confidence into staying power at the team.