Isack Hadjar’s Bahrain test data suggests Red Bull are the benchmark under braking

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Isack Hadjar was heavily delayed by an engine issue on the second day of the 2026 F1 Bahrain test, but his data once on track suggests Red Bull are the best under braking.

The 21-year-old has moved up from sister team Racing Bulls to Red Bull in the 2026 season to partner Max Verstappen. But Hadjar has not enjoyed a seamless start to his spell as a Red Bull racer, after he crashed at the Barcelona shakedown and had reliability issues in Bahrain.

Hadjar missed almost all of the morning session on Thursday at the first Bahrain test, as Red Bull managed to send the Frenchman out for just an installation lap after needing to change his engine. Red Bull traced the problem to a hydraulic fault, instead of their new power unit.

Bahrain testing day 2 belongs to Charles Leclerc

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Isack Hadjar’s Bahrain test data suggests Red Bull have the ‘best’ handling 2026 F1 car

Hadjar’s subsequent runs in the RB22 over the afternoon session on day two of the Bahrain test proved vastly more positive for Red Bull, though, as his telemetry suggests they are the benchmark team on the 2026 F1 grid when it comes to stability under braking, at this stage.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and aero regulations

That is according to MARCA, which reports that Red Bull’s new car designed to the 2026 F1 regulations appears to have a remarkably consistent platform even with Hadjar behind the wheel. Hadjar did not appear to encounter any pitching or any serious instability problems.

Some of Red Bull’s rivals have not been as fortunate so far during the first Bahrain test, and Hadjar instantly finding confidence under braking will especially prove encouraging for the team. The Parisian’s data seems to show the Red Bull chassis is the benchmark this season.

MARCA even goes as far as to suggest the Red Bull RB22 is ‘the best’ car on the 2026 grid in terms of handling, as Hadjar encountered ‘no weaknesses’ under braking this Thursday. A delayed start while Red Bull had to change his engine did not wipe the gloss off his session.

Isack Hadjar missed most of the morning on Day 2 at the Bahrain test due to an engine change

Here’s how the teams fare at the end of Bahrain testing Day 2 ⏱️

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Hadjar even managed to complete 87 laps during a productive afternoon at the Bahrain test on Thursday. The Frenchman also set the fifth-fastest lap time with a 1:36.651, even if times in testing are largely irrelevant as teams prioritise valuable data and proving their reliability.

Red Bull will no doubt be encouraged by the data that Hadjar recorded once on track after a delayed start to his session due to an engine change. The 2026 F1 regulations featured a raft of changes to the chassis rules, as well as the engine rules that the tweaks were based upon.

F1 cars now have a 200mm shorter wheelbase and are 100mm narrower than those used in the final year of the ground-effect era in 2025. F1 has also reduced the minimum car weight to 768kg, and the 2026 Pirelli front tyres are 25mm narrower and rears are 30mm narrower.