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Bahrain – Isack Hadjar has praised Max Verstappen’s openness as the young Frenchman settles into his new role as the four-time World Champion’s teammate at Red Bull Racing. The comments came during pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, as Hadjar prepares for his first full season with the senior Red Bull team.
Having been promoted from the Racing Bulls squad for the 2026 Formula 1 season, Hadjar described his initial function with Verstappen as “incredibly good,” noting the champion’s willingness to share insights. “He’s been very open so far, so it’s good to have him by my side,” Hadjar said.
The transition to Red Bull, but, doesn’t feel entirely new for Hadjar. He explained that his existing familiarity with the team’s infrastructure and personnel is easing the process. “It doesn’t really feel like jumping into a new team, to be honest,” he stated. “I’ve been doing FP1s for this team already back in 2023, 2024 – I [was] signed in 2021 [to the Red Bull Junior Team].”
Hadjar also highlighted the benefit of reuniting with Team Principal Laurent Mekies, who oversaw his debut season in Formula 1 with Racing Bulls in 2025. “I made my debut in Formula 1 with him – stepping into my second season with him is good, so it’s been very smooth. I’m very lucky,” he added. Former Red Bull drivers have also assessed Hadjar’s promotion, according to reports.
Sergio Perez recently described 2026 as a “perfect” time for Hadjar to join the team, acknowledging the challenges of partnering with Verstappen but suggesting the young driver is well-positioned to succeed. Perez characterized the role as the “toughest job in F1.”
Looking ahead to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Hadjar emphasized the importance of analyzing data collected during the Bahrain test. “The goal for Melbourne is to develop the most of the learnings, go back on the sim, correlate all that, and try to make sure that the direction we need to go in is clear.”
