Isack Hadjar is Max Verstappen’s new teammate at Red Bull: Now the Frenchman reveals that he has already received tips from the four-time world champion
Max Verstappen has a new teammate at Red Bull in Formula 1 this year: Isack Hadjar took over Yuki Tsunoda’s seat this winter and has delivered a solid performance so far. The Frenchman is already considered one of the four-time world champion’s stronger teammates.
However, Verstappen doesn’t seem to fear losing his dominance at Red Bull, as the collaboration between the two Red Bull drivers is clearly going well. “He definitely doesn’t ask me if I need advice, but when I ask him something, he answers me,” Hadjar reveals.
“When I need information, he’s very open and very helpful,” adds the Frenchman of Algerian descent, who appreciates the Dutchman’s support and advice: “He doesn’t hold anything back because he knows how strong he is.”
Overall, Hadjar is satisfied with his first races for Red Bull. “I think I handled the difficult parts—namely, staying close to Max—well,” he says proudly, though he’s also self-critical: “On the other hand, I made mistakes on the simple things.”
Isack Hadjar doesn’t want to repeat his mistake
Hadjar had a particularly disappointing weekend at the Miami Grand Prix. Afterward, however, he regained his form and even celebrated his first podium finish in Monaco—though it was later revoked. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old often competes on equal footing with Verstappen.
“So I’m glad I’ve cleared the toughest hurdles,” Hadjar sums up the first races of this season, even though he’ll need to improve further in the future. “If I can optimize a few small details now, I’ll score more points.”
The biggest problem is the mistakes the Red Bull rookie still makes too often. “Ideally, you don’t repeat them,” Hadjar says with a laugh. “That’s the goal. It’s not always easy, but it doesn’t bother me too much either. I’m young, it’s my second year—I’m bound to make mistakes right now.”
“Once I have a car that can make me world champion, I won’t make those mistakes anymore. That’s the plan. But I’m focusing more on my own performance. I can compete with the best in the field. That’s where my focus lies right now.”
