Isack Hadjar continues to impress in his debut F1 season with Racing Bulls, but despite growing speculation over a potential Red Bull Racing promotion, the Frenchman remains grounded. While his early form has drawn attention within the paddock, Hadjar has admitted he would not feel ready for such a step—though he remains curious about the possibility.
The 20-year-old French driver entered Formula 1 with Red Bull’s sister outfit, Racing Bulls, at the start of the 2025 season, after finishing second in the 2024 Formula 2 championship. Since then, he has quickly gained respect through a string of strong performances, overcoming a challenging debut and showing impressive development across the first nine rounds of the season.
Bouncing back from a tough debut
Although his campaign began with disappointment after an emotional formation lap exit in Australia, Hadjar responded with resilience. He has delivered multiple Q3 appearances and points finishes, including a standout sixth-place result on the streets of Monaco, where he also qualified a career-best fifth.
Hadjar’s ability to rebound from adversity and consistently challenge the midfield has elevated his profile within the Red Bull driver programme. As both Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson have struggled to deliver consistent results alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, Hadjar has emerged as a possible candidate for a future call-up.
Red Bull call-up “a bit scary”
Speaking to the media in Montreal ahead of the 2025 F1 Canadian GP, Hadjar addressed the possibility of stepping up to Red Bull. He acknowledged the scale of the challenge and his own reservations about being ready.
“It’s a bit scary. I wouldn’t feel ready,” he said. “I’m just nine races in and it looks to be complicated when you look at Yuki and Liam, who are very quality drivers, so no, I’m not very ready – but I would always be up for the call that’s for sure.”
A natural curiosity to test himself
Despite his honest self-assessment, Hadjar admitted that the idea still intrigues him. He expressed a natural curiosity to see how he would fare at the highest level of the sport, particularly with a benchmark like Verstappen on the other side of the garage.
“I’m also curious. I would like to know what’s going on. I’d love to have a taste of what’s the highest level like as well – there’s Max in the other car,” he added.
However, Hadjar remains focused on his current role and views his time at Racing Bulls as essential preparation. He is not rushing towards promotion, instead placing value on the learning process that his current environment provides.
“At the same time, I’m just enjoying so much my time in F1 right now with Racing Bulls, it’s going well, and I’m just learning a lot for the future and getting ready for the call. That’s it.”
Staying grounded in the present
When asked directly if he would accept a Red Bull Racing seat today, Hadjar replied cautiously. While he remains open to the idea, he emphasised that circumstances would ultimately determine his decision.
“It depends if I have the choice,” he said.
As he continues to collect points and experience, Hadjar has shown maturity beyond his years. Despite speculation swirling around him, he remains committed to the present and to his ongoing development as a driver.
“I’m happy where I’m at, but at the same time as I said, very curious. I haven’t thought about it because it’s very unlikely to happen.”
Strong first half of the season
Hadjar currently sits ninth in the Drivers’ Championship standings after nine rounds, having scored 21 of Racing Bulls’ 28 points to date. With plenty of the season still to come, he will aim to further solidify his position as one of Formula 1’s most promising rookies—whether or not a Red Bull call comes his way.
