Yuki Tsunoda’s successor gives deep insights into his emotional world – Hadjar explains why he sometimes wonders what he’s actually doing at Red Bull
Isack Hadjar gave his first interview as an official Red Bull driver ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The Frenchman will take the wheel alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen at the Milton Keynes-based racing team. In the in-house podcast Talking Bull, the French-Algerian racing driver talked about how he found out about his promotion and how it feels to sit next to Verstappen.
“I just called my mother,” Hadjar reveals when asked who he told first. But there was no big surprise: “She told me that she had actually already received the call before me. She already knew. Since she is my manager, she knows more than I do.”
From karting to the premier class: “Why me?”
When asked whether he has really taken in the news yet, the youngster gives an honest insight into his feelings: “There are moments when I realize what’s happening and I’m ready for the challenge. But sometimes I also think, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’“
It has been a long way from his days in karting. ”I ask myself, ‘Why me? How was I chosen?’” says Hadjar.
Hadjar takes over the coveted cockpit at Red Bull after a turbulent period in the second driver position. Liam Lawson replaced Sergio Perez at the beginning of 2025, but was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda after only two race weekends. Although the pressure in this position is known to be enormous, Hadjar’s anticipation of working with the Dutchman outweighs everything else.
“It’s so cool,” enthuses the 21-year-old. “I only started formula racing in 2019 and now I get to be teammates with the best driver in the field. It’s a huge, huge privilege.”
Learning from the master: Verstappen’s “ten million scenario”
The former Racing Bulls driver is going into the season with the clear goal of learning from his experienced teammate.
“Why was he [in 2025] so close to becoming world champion without having the best car?” Hadjar asks, and immediately provides the answer: “There were races with very difficult conditions, and he’s always there. Then there’s his ability in qualifying: he always delivers in Q3 and finds even more time.“
Hadjar is deeply impressed by Verstappen’s efficiency: ”If there’s a single chance, a one in ten million scenario, in which he can win the race, then he’ll win it.”
Meeting Alain Prost: A dream come true for his father
In addition to the prospect of driving alongside one of his heroes in 2026, Hadjar had the opportunity to meet Alain Prost in Abu Dhabi last year—an experience he describes as “unreal.”
“As a kid, I was actually a Senna fan, but the older I got, the more I appreciated what Prost had achieved,” explains the newcomer. “If you look at his career, he had the most impressive track record in terms of statistics and teams. He won with all the big teams and had the toughest teammates. And I love his approach; he drives with his head.”
However, the meeting was particularly emotional because of Hadjar’s father, a physicist. “He always wanted to meet Alain Prost. He was there when I handed him my helmet. So the best moment was actually seeing my father, who saw Prost drive live. I was so happy for my father. That was the highlight.”
Hadjar has already been given the nickname “Le Petit Prost” (The Little Prost). The reason for this is rather curious: the Red Bull driver confirmed that the name comes from the fact that he has the same habit as the legend of biting his fingernails.
