Red Bull signs Isack Hadjar, says he can win races in 2026

French 21‑year‑old Isack Hadjar has been promoted from Red Bull’s junior programme to a full‑time race seat alongside four‑time champion Max Verstappen for the 2026 season. After a solid rookie year in Formula 2 and an impressive shakedown, Hadjar says he’s ready to fight for wins, even as his predecessors have struggled to match Verstappen’s pace.

Why it matters:

• Red Bull’s second‑driver slot has been a liability since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2018; a competitive partner could widen the team’s advantage.
• Hadjar’s confidence signals a shift away from the “support driver” role filled by Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, Sergio Pérez, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly.
• A French driver adds market appeal and may bring new sponsorship opportunities to the Austrian outfit.

The details:

• Testing performance – In Bahrain, Verstappen logged 136 laps, while Hadjar completed 86 laps and posted the fifth‑fastest time despite a hydraulic leak that curtailed his Thursday morning run.
• Past struggles – Tsunoda managed just 30 points last season; Lawson, Pérez, Albon and Gasly have all failed to secure podiums alongside Verstappen.
• Barcelona shakedown crash – Hadjar slid off the final corner when switching from wets to intermediates, joking that the incident reminded him of Gasly’s 2019 crash and that he “moved on” quickly.
• Team outlook – Red Bull’s RBPT power unit is widely regarded as the strongest on the grid, giving Hadjar a competitive platform from day one.

What’s next:

• The 2026 season opens with the Bahrain Grand Prix; Hadjar aims to be “on the radar” for his first win.
• Red Bull will fine‑tune the RB22 based on test data, hoping the new chassis‑engine package can keep pace with any mid‑season upgrades from rivals.
• If Hadjar can translate his test speed into race results, he could become the first Red Bull teammate to consistently challenge Verstappen since the team’s modern era of dominance began.