Rookie driver Isack Hadjar, aged 20, has stated that he wouldn`t feel prepared for a potential “scary” mid-season move up to the main Red Bull Formula 1 team.
Hadjar has emerged as one of the unexpected highlights of the current season while driving for Racing Bulls. He has successfully scored points in five out of his ten races and contributed significantly to the team`s overall constructors` championship total.
Following driver changes made by Red Bull after the initial two rounds of the season, Hadjar has outperformed teammate Liam Lawson in qualifying sessions and finished ahead in races where they both competed, despite Lawson having more experience.
With Yuki Tsunoda yet to fully establish himself consistently alongside Max Verstappen in the senior Red Bull seat, suggestions have arisen that Hadjar could be a future candidate for the position, although the team has downplayed such immediate possibilities.
Speaking at the Canadian Grand Prix, when asked about his readiness for a Red Bull drive, Hadjar commented: “It`s a bit scary. I wouldn`t feel ready. I`m just nine races in and it looks to be complicated when I look at Yuki and Liam, who are very quality drivers.”
He added that despite feeling unprepared, he “would always be up for the call, that`s for sure.”
Former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg had previously suggested that Hadjar should decline any offer for an early promotion, citing the well-documented challenges faced by Verstappen`s teammates. Hadjar acknowledged this viewpoint, agreeing that stepping up early would be tough, but admitted a sense of curiosity about driving alongside Max Verstappen.
“For sure, I don`t feel ready, that`s a fact,” Hadjar reiterated. “It`s good to take experience where I`m at. I`m enjoying so much every weekend, learning a lot. It`s a car I enjoy driving. We will see in the future. But obviously as a Red Bull junior driver, the trajectory is normal to go there.” He confirmed that completing the entire season with Racing Bulls would be beneficial for his development.
Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer recently joked that they would need to “handcuff” Hadjar if Red Bull sought to promote him prematurely. Hadjar responded positively to these comments, saying, “It just means I`m well integrated into the team. They like me and I`m happy where I`m at right now. They value me quite high, so I can only be grateful and I`m very happy with the current situation. It`s very good for a rookie.”
Adding context to the driver situation at Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda has scored points in only three of his eight races with the senior team this season. His Canadian Grand Prix race was impacted by a grid penalty, although he recovered to finish 12th.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner commented on Tsunoda`s recent efforts, stating that he “actually did a decent job” in Canada given the circumstances and the difficulty of overtaking. Horner noted that Tsunoda is making progress in developing a car setup that suits his personal driving style, rather than simply trying to replicate Verstappen`s, and hopes he can build confidence from recent events.
Marcus Prine