Isack Hadjar’s management stance on Red Bull promotion revealed after Dutch Grand Prix heroics

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As qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix was coming to an end, everyone was carefully watching the sector times of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

It was clear that a McLaren driver would be on pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix, and it was Piastri who pipped Norris during Q3 despite the British driver’s dominance across all three practice sessions.

Max Verstappen’s sector times raised eyebrows, with a huge cheer heard around Zandvoort when he went purple in sector two.

He stuck his Red Bull third, and it was expected that either George Russell or a Ferrari would join him on the second row.

Suddenly, up stepped Isack Hadjar, producing arguably the best lap of his burgeoning Formula 1 career to put his Racing Bulls fourth.

Fans were amazed by Hadjar’s performance, especially considering his fractured preparations for the weekend as he suffered power unit issues across FP1 and FP2.

Journalist Ralf Bach has provided more details about the French rookie’s future.

Hadjar’s contract expires at the end of the season, but the question isn’t whether he’ll be offered a new deal, but which team he’ll be driving for.

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

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Hadjar is said to be the frontrunner to replace Yuki Tsunoda, with the Japanese driver once again falling below expectations in qualifying.

He’ll start eight positions behind Hadjar, and speaking on the F1 Insider YouTube channel, Bach explained: “The Racing Bulls is a more good-natured car, which of course, suits the young drivers and has great performance.

“Fourth place, the best qualifying position he’s ever achieved in Formula 1. He was already fifth in Monaco, which was extraordinary.

“He topped that again today, and well, as I said yesterday, the decision has already been made as to who will be driving for the Red Bull team next year.

“Let’s put it this way, he’s done everything to make sure it happens.”

It was put to Bach that Helmut Marko suggested Hadjar always delivered when it mattered, and he continued: “That sentence is quite telling and says a lot.

“That means he is also mentally and emotionally strong enough to perform under pressure when it really matters.

“And that shows what Marko thinks of him, and that’s why I think the decision has already been made as to who will drive the Red Bull next year.

“I mean, I can’t imagine Hadjar’s management or him himself saying, ‘No, he doesn’t want to do it,’ because like many others on Max Verstappen’s side, he’s already hit the wall.

“You have to take the risk, and in 2026, there will be completely new cars that are completely different to drive and new regulations.”

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Helmut Marko says Isack Hadjar ‘never ceases to amaze’ after Dutch Grand Prix qualifying

If Hadjar is going to race for Red Bull next season, Helmut Marko is the man he needs to impress.

Marko’s influence at Red Bull has increased since Christian Horner’s exit, with the Austrian side of the business keen to take more control.

Speaking to Sky Sports Germany after qualifying, Marko admitted: “Hadjar never ceases to amaze. He had problems with the power unit twice on Friday.

“But he shrugs it off, and when it matters, he delivers.”

Hadjar has been told by Liam Lawson how to cope with a promotion to Red Bull after his doomed two-race stint with the team at the start of 2025.

If he does make the move, he’ll hope Red Bull have more patience with him than his current teammate.