Isack Hadjar admits he was worried about being Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull

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Isack Hadjar is Max Verstappen’s seventh different teammate at Red Bull since he joined the team in 2016, and this was something the young Frenchman admits he was fearful of.

The second Red Bull seat has become notorious for uninspiring performances and brutal dismissals over the years. After Daniel Ricciardo left in 2019, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda all tried and failed to compete with Verstappen.

Hadjar is the latest to take the seat, having had an impressive rookie campaign with Racing Bulls last year. The new regulation cycle was hoped to bring a fresh start for the team, but the past problems with the second car were on everyone’s mind, including the driver.

Isack Hadjar thought he ‘was going to crash’ due to Red Bull’s issues during qualifying in Japan – How many Grand Prix wins do you now predict they can score in 2026?

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Isack Hadjar was worried about the gaps between Max Verstappen and his past Red Bull teammates

Damon Hill warned that Verstappen would psychologically crush Hadjar as his teammate, given that no one has come close to the Dutchman in equal machinery. This was something that intimidated the young Frenchman.

Speaking via F1’s official YouTube channel, Hadjar admitted he was worried about stepping up to Red Bull given the problems with the second car. But he backed his ability to show what he could do.

“Of course I did in a way because, you look at the gaps between Max’s teammates and you’re like, ‘Wow, this is weird,” he said about joining Red Bull.

“But at the same time I’m realistic. I’m like, it’s a new regulation, we have the same car. If I believe I’m good, I’m good. And that’s end of the story. So in the end, for the first three races, everything’s going like I kind of anticipated it.”

READ MORE: Who is 2026 Red Bull F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know

Isack Hadjar has been much closer to Max Verstappen in 2026

Hadjar would be right with his assessment, as he has been closing the gap to Verstappen in 2026. In fact, he is currently leading the qualifying battle 2-1, beating him in Australia and Japan.

Marc Priestley said Red Bull ‘desperately’ need Hadjar after Verstappen crashed in qualifying in Melbourne. The Frenchman lined up an impressive third but was forced to retire with a mechanical fault.

He may have only scored four points thus far compared to Verstappen’s 12, but the gap is closer between the two cars. James Hinchcliffe says Hadjar has solved Red Bull’s ‘second car blues’, and the 21-year-old knows he is right there.

“Yeah, like you say, it’s a small sample,” Hadjar added. “The car is what it is right now, very hard to drive, but all the time I’m not too far.

“And I’m happy with how I delivered in those first three races with the car I have underneath me, gave the most of it. All in all, it’s pretty good.”