Helmut Marko left ‘extremely impressed’ by one thing Isack Hadjar does at every new F1 circuit

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Speculation surrounding the future of Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar isn’t going away as a potential promotion to Red Bull in 2026 continues to gather pace.

Isack Hadjar has been one of the standout young drivers on the grid this season, securing Racing Bulls their first podium since the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Zandvoort this year.

Hadjar was the final driver confirmed on the grid for the 2025 F1 season, and despite his formation lap spin in Australia on his debut, he’s looked very impressive ever since.

He currently sits ninth in the drivers’ championship, ahead of the likes of Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, and most importantly, teammate Liam Lawson and Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda.

Hadjar is believed to be the frontrunner to be Max Verstappen’s teammate next year, although Red Bull insist that a decision won’t be made until at least the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Although Laurent Mekies has taken over as team principal at Red Bull, Hadjar will know that Helmut Marko is the man he really needs to impress if he’s going to be promoted over the winter break.

Journalist Ronald Vording has shared more details about how Marko is analysing Hadjar’s performances, and he’s been seriously impressed by how the young Frenchman adapts every time he visits a new circuit.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know

Helmut Marko ‘extremely impressed’ with Isack Hadjar’s first laps at every new Formula 1 circuit

Vording was speaking about Hadjar on the James Allen on F1 podcast, and when discussing his future, he explained: “There are two things to quickly pick up on. The first one is mentioning F2, I think no one expected him to be this good in F1 and adapt this quickly, apart from one man, and that’s Helmut Marko.

“I remember a lot of talks last year that I had with him, and he said, well, Isack has been very unlucky in terms of pure speed; he should have been 50 or 60 points ahead.

“So, I think no one really expected this from Isack except Helmut, and I think on this one, he was right.

“And talking about Helmut Marko, it brings me to the second element is that he is looking at one aspect, and that’s the first couple of laps when they bring Isack Hadjar to a new track, and Singapore was one of those.

“He looked at FP1 and he said two laps in and he took P1 then FP2, again, easy top 10 and that’s something that Helmut Marko is really looking at because it tells you something about how quick a driver can adapt to a new track, to different conditions, stuff like that.

That’s something Marko is extremely impressed with. Of course, Max Verstappen and Isack are on a completely different level, but that’s to some extent something he sees in Isack Hadjar as well, and that’s one of the reasons why Hadjar is on pole position for that second Red Bull seat.

“He thinks that, in terms of adapting to a car, he’s able to survive next to Max Verstappen.

“I’m not sure if I fully agree with that, but I think that’s one of the key factors in at least putting him on pole for that second Red Bull seat in 2026.”

READ MORE: Who is Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko? Everything to know

How will Red Bull’s Formula 1 teams line up next season if Isack Hadjar is promoted?

The only current guarantee at Red Bull going into 2026 is that Verstappen will be staying with the team for another year.

Hadjar, Lawson and Tsunoda are all currently out of contract during the winter break, although the Frenchman is virtually guaranteed to be staying on the grid at one of their two teams.

The decision that Marko has to make is which combination of drivers to place at Racing Bulls next year.

Tsunoda and Lawson could be paired together, but Marko is keen for Arvid Lindblad to make his F1 debut soon, and if Alex Dunne is signed after leaving McLaren’s academy, that gives Red Bull another promising option.

For Hadjar, the real test will be if and when he joins Verstappen next year as he attempts to avoid the curse of being placed alongside the four-time world champion.