Guenther Steiner tells Isack Hadjar what he ‘can’t say’ if Red Bull put him alongside Max Verstappen

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Isack Hadjar is still the favourite to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull next season, and Guenther Steiner has told the Frenchman what he can’t do when the Austrian constructor comes knocking.

On a grid that features the largest number of rookie F1 drivers since the 2010 season, Isack Hadjar has stood out as one of the most impressive debutants that 2025 has had to offer.

Helmut Marko has compared Hadjar to Ayrton Senna through his ability to adapt to any given situation, indicating the Red Bull’s special advisor has already made up his mind on the future of the 21-year-old.

However, as is evident through the multitude of drivers that have shared a garage with Max Verstappen, he’s sure to experience some problems if the Milton Keynes-based constructor does go ahead and pull the trigger on his promotion to the frontrunning team.

READ MORE: Racing Bulls boss delivers ‘careful’ verdict on whether Isack Hadjar is ready for Red Bull promotion

Guenther Steiner tells Isack Hadjar that he could be ‘one of the greats’ if his Red Bull move works out

After securing his maiden F1 podium at Zandvoort, Hadjar’s name was propelled to the top of Red Bull’s shortlist of potential replacements for the struggling Yuki Tsunoda.

Despite the seat offering him a chance of racing for a team capable of winning races, or even championships, Hadjar was ‘highly resistant’ to joining Red Bull for 2026.

The Racing Bulls rookie has since changed his tune on the move. Hadjar is now open to the idea of partnering with the four-time world champion, in a bid to show the leadership figures within the team that he is capable of solving their second-seat woes.

In a recent interview with Sport, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner had some further advice for the 21-year-old, saying, “When an opportunity like this comes along, you have to take it.

“You can’t say, ‘I don’t want to go there because others have failed.’ It’s certainly a challenge, but if it works out, you’ll truly be one of the greats.”

Steiner mentioned that the Frenchman would be his choice if he were leading the charge at Red Bull, adding, “He has shown that he is also mentally stable.

“When you see what happened in Australia, many thought he was already broken when he parked the car on the formation lap.” 

The Italian executive concluded his statement by also offering some words of warning, emphasising that Red Bull must be ‘cautious’, saying, “Many have felt ready, but failed because of dear Max.”

READ MORE: Isack Hadjar admits it would be ‘very painful’ to leave Racing Bulls despite chance to join Red Bull

Yuki Tsunoda still has one ace up his sleeve that could derail Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull plans

Despite leadership figures within Red Bull being set on the Frenchman replacing Tsunoda, the Japanese driver’s ties to Honda have added an extra layer to the internal politics regarding his place at the team.

Honda President Koji Watanabe is adamant about Tsunoda keeping his seat at Red Bull, and has expressed his intention of speaking to the team in order to keep the sole representative of Japan on the F1 grid in 2026.

Laurent Mekies is also hesitant to drop Tsunoda off the back of his difficulties on track with the RB21. The team principal worked with the 25-year-old prior to his appointment at Red Bull, and is aware of what Tsunoda is capable of if given the right machinery.

It remains to be seen when Red Bull will make a decision on their 2026 driver line-up. They had set a number of deadlines in the past, only for them to come and go with no official announcement.

They are now expected to make up their minds following the conclusion of the season in December.