Isack Hadjar must get rid of one ‘tragic’ flaw ahead of his Red Bull promotion in 2026

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Isack Hadjar has a mountain to climb, on and off the track, as he joins Red Bull in the 2026 Formula 1 season.

There is no question that the Frenchman’s promotion is deserved. He has showcased his talent and potential in his rookie season, finishing P12 in the standings and scoring his maiden podium at Zandvoort with Racing Bulls.

Helmut Marko was pushing to get the 21-year-old into Red Bull, and he got his wish before leaving the team at the end of 2025. Marko wants Hadjar to win an F1 race to make him ‘proud’ – the Austrian and the team rate him highly.

Hadjar is excited to work with Sebastian Vettel’s engineers and embed himself in a team that has won several championships. However, he is up against Max Verstappen, who, since 2018, has dominated every teammate put next to him.

The record of drivers going into the second car, underperforming, and subsequently being dropped is truly alarming. With a familiar face in Laurent Mekies as team principal, Hadjar will surely get the right support, and he needs it to get rid of one trait that could hamper him.

Isack Hadjar’s self-criticism is ‘tragic’; he must tone it down at Red Bull

The Frenchman is known to have a temper on the radio, especially during his junior days. Marko warned Hadjar about his emotions before his F1 debut, but the problem is still persisting, mainly with how critical he is.

Journalists Jake Boxall-Legge and Stuart Codling discussed how much Hadjar beats himself up after races in the media pen on the Autosport F1 Podcast, describing it as ‘tragic’.

Boxall-Legge said: “When you look at Racing Bulls, on the other hand, Isack Hadjar is one of the most self-critical drivers on the grid. I think he outdoes Norris for self-criticism.”

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Before Codling added: “Oh, yeah, he comes into the pen, he comes and flagellates himself in front of us. It’s almost tragic at times. ‘Be nice, be happy, you know, you did well.’ ‘No, no.”

Being self-critical is one thing, but overstepping it and being too critical can have a damaging effect on a driver. This is especially the case at Red Bull, where every driver since Daniel Ricciardo left the team has struggled to perform against Verstappen.

Red Bull ‘will not tolerate’ Hadjar ‘exploding’ with emotion, highlighting why he needs to stop being so harsh on himself. He has to be in the right mindset and have a positive atmosphere around him if he wants to have a successful stint in Milton Keynes.

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

Can Isack Hadjar compete with Max Verstappen at Red Bull?

The 2026 season is a critical one in Red Bull’s history, as they become an engine supplier. They will want both cars performing to give them accurate data, as well as the best chance of winning the championship.

Verstappen’s manager says Red Bull need two cars in 2026, putting pressure on Hadjar to immediately perform. The problem is that beating his teammate or getting close to him in the same car has become almost impossible.

Juan Pablo Montoya questions whether Hadjar will have equal machinery in 2026. With Mekies in charge, he stands a better chance of being afforded the same, or just better treatment than his predecessors.

Thinking he could beat Verstappen would be naive, but he certainly will be looking to do better than Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda did in 2025. The question is whether he will have the car and the mentality to do it.