Isack Hadjar explains why he gives Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso more ‘leeway’ when racing them

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Red Bull Racing’s latest recruit, Isack Hadjar, has revealed how he balances aggression with ‘respect’ when locked in wheel-to-wheel battles with the sport’s most decorated legends.

Choosing a seat alongside Max Verstappen is often described as the most difficult task in Formula 1.

Red Bull’s decision to promote Isack Hadjar for the 2026 season brings a fresh new name into the fold, and it could turn out to be either make or break for the young Frenchman.

Ted Kravitz is ‘worried’ for Hadjar ahead of his maiden year at the frontrunning Austrian constructor, but the 21-year-old is adamant that he is ready and up for the challenge.

He has shown that he has a mature head on his shoulders, and his latest admission about racing some of F1’s best drivers also displays a keen sense of awareness while in the cockpit.

• READ MORE: F1 experts rank the top 10 drivers of 2025 with Max Verstappen not the unanimous number one

How would you rate Isack Hadjar’s 2025 Formula 1 rookie season out of 10?

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Isack Hadjar admits to being “calculated” when battling F1’s greatest legends

During an interview on the Zack en Roue Libre podcast, Hadjar opened up about the internal process he goes through during battles against the grid’s two most experienced champions, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

The 21-year-old said, “When I fight with Alonso and Hamilton, maybe my subconscious makes me take a little margin.

“But at the same time, they are drivers who I have analysed so much in my life that I know exactly what they are going to do. It is such a pleasure to race against them that you can’t do things halfway.

“We must give them respect, and for me, my way of giving respect is that I will go with them, you know? And then even I, in general, am still a very clean driver; you don’t see me going into contact.

“I still drive with my head. But I might tell you that I give 5% leeway, maybe, because it’s Hamilton, you know, it’s Alonso.

“Maybe it’s certain that with guys my age, I don’t care as much, but maybe I’m a bit more calculated with them.”

Hamilton was very impressed with Hadjar’s efforts during his rookie campaign, highlighting how ‘amazing’ the Racing Bulls star was with them in 2025 despite the ‘intense’ pressure that was being applied by bosses at Red Bull.

• READ MORE: Isack Hadjar must address ‘incredible’ concern at Red Bull that has nothing to do with their F1 car

Does Isack Hadjar have the right mindset for his promotion to Red Bull in 2026?

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Lewis Hamilton is one of Isack Hadjar’s biggest heroes in Formula 1

It’s no secret that the seven-time World Champion is the Frenchman’s biggest hero in F1. Hadjar recently pinpointed the moment he realised how special Hamilton was, noting how Brit’s introduction to F1 in 2007 immediately raised the level of the sport.

The Frenchman admitted he was effectively “smashing the TV” while watching Hamilton lose the title at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP as a young fan.

After a difficult start to his F1 career, Hadjar hasn’t lacked encouragement from his hero, evident through Anthony Hamilton’s consolation of the downtrodden 21-year-old after crashing out of his debut race before it had even begun.

Hadjar described this gesture as instrumental in helping him move past his initial nerves and heartbreak.

During the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix weekend, TV microphones picked up what Hamilton said to Hadjar just before the rookie secured his first podium in the sport.