Isack Hadjar says he is confident he will be slower than Max Verstappen when he first joins Red Bull and is mentally preparing to face a “tough” and “frustrating” period in 2026.
Red Bull has promoted Hadjar to partner Verstappen next season, replacing Yuki Tsunoda who took over from Liam Lawson two races in 2025. Lawson’s short-lived tenure came after battles for Sergio Perez, and Hadjar says he is trying to prepare for a situation where he doesn’t have to overly compare himself to his new teammate.
“In any case, the goal is to accept that I will be slower in the first few months,” Hadjar said. “I think when you go into that mentality, you already accept that it will be very difficult. When you look at the data and see things that you can’t achieve yet, it will be very frustrating. But if you know, you will be better prepared.
“You never know, maybe because of the way you have to drive this.” [Racing Bulls] car suits me perfectly. But at the same time it is Max Verstappen. He has no driving style, he adapts to what is given to him. That makes its strength. He will be as good in this year’s car next year as he was in this year’s car and the year before. He also constantly adapts.”
Rather than seeing it as a defeatist attitude, Hadjar believes other drivers have taken to the Red Bull seat believing they can match Verstappen and are unable to take on the challenge of having to overcome an early deficit.
“I think they think the opposite [of me]. Everyone thinks they are special. Then you come in and you think, ‘He’s a human being, I’m going to beat him.’ Then you are overwhelmed. And then the snowball effect begins.
“We’re talking about the best driver on the grid. The chances of me being slower at the start of the year are very high. I might as well accept it now and just work on getting there. Of course I hope to be as fast as him. I hope so, but realistically there are very few chances.”
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