If Isack Hadjar was an early frontrunner for the 2026 Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, then his breakthrough performance over the Zandvoort race weekend, taking a maiden podium from fourth on the grid, has surely made him the runaway favourite.
Hadjar came into the Racing Bulls squad only after Red Bull relieved Sergio Perez of his duties and tried Liam Lawson - and soon after, Yuki Tsunoda - as his replacement. The 2024 F2 runner-up was hailed as a big talent but there were lingering question marks within Red Bull over his readiness for the big leagues. In fact, Hadjar shared some of those concerns, telling Motorsport.com last October - before his promotion was confirmed - that there was no way of knowing if he was ready due to his lack of F1 testing.
