Jolyon Palmer has seen one ‘critical’ sign why Isack Hadjar may be a ‘better prospect’ for Red Bull than Liam Lawson was

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Jolyon Palmer has seen a “critical” sign for why Red Bull might be right if they decide to replace Yuki Tsunoda with Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar for the 2026 F1 season.

Questions linger about the driver line-ups in Milton Keynes and Faenza next year, as Red Bull hold three of the final six seats on F1’s 2026 grid. Alpine are yet to decide Franco Colapinto’s long-term future, while Mercedes intend to keep George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Only Max Verstappen is currently under contract among the Red Bull family drivers for 2026. Red Bull chose against giving Tsunoda a new contract when he moved up from Racing Bulls to replace Liam Lawson this March. Lawson and Hadjar are also on one-year deals in Faenza.

It has been suggested that Red Bull have confirmed internally that Tsunoda will leave at the end of the 2025 F1 season, as well. The 25-year-old has scored just nine points in 13 rounds since he traded places with Lawson, who Red Bull demoted following two point-less rounds.

Jolyon Palmer thinks Isack Hadjar’s qualifying pace could make him perfect for Red Bull

Reports also claim that Red Bull have already decided that Hadjar will move up from Racing Bulls next year. But Red Bull will not confirm Hadjar’s promotion yet in respect for Tsunoda, who joined their driver academy in 2019 and spent his first four terms in F1 at Racing Bulls.

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

Palmer feels Hadjar might have even already shown why he could be an upgrade on Lawson and Tsunoda for Red Bull with his performances at Racing Bulls this term. The 20-year-old, who turns 21 on September 28, has especially impressed Palmer with his qualifying results.

Hadjar qualified a career-best P4 for the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend, which also marked his ninth Q3 appearance from 15 rounds. Additionally, the French-Algerian used his starting position to reach the rostrum, as Hadjar earned his first F1 podium with P3 in the Dutch GP.

Palmer told the F1 website: “Tsunoda’s performances have gone backwards since linking up with Max Verstappen, and Liam Lawson’s have got better since his demotion.

“OK, the sample pool was just two races, but the immediate difference in confidence and consistency of both drivers was telling. But Isack looks like he could be a better prospect than both of the Red Bull predecessors.

“His one-lap pace is a critical strength, and the ability to soak up pressure from faster cars in the race in Zandvoort didn’t go unnoticed, as well, as he kept it clean and glued to the back of Verstappen for his podium.”

Isack Hadjar leads Liam Lawson 10-3 in their qualifying head-to-head at Racing Bulls

Racing Bulls are powerless to stop Red Bull promoting Hadjar if the Milton Keynes team feel the 20-year-old will offer the best teammate for Verstappen next term. Only Verstappen has scored more points than Hadjar among the Red Bull family this year, with 205 and 37 so far.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda’s life outside F1 from height to parents

Tsunoda now boasts 12 points after he finished the Dutch GP in P9 for the Japanese driver’s first points in eight rounds, yet he still only ranks 19th in the F1 drivers’ championship. Only Alpine duo Colapinto and Jack Doohan sit below Tsunoda, as neither has secured any points.

Lawson failed to secure a point in his two rounds with Red Bull, but the Kiwi has recorded 20 since re-joining Racing Bulls. All 20 of the 23-year-old’s points have also come since round eight in Monaco. Hadjar only took 15 points between the Monaco GP and the Hungarian GP.

Qualifying is where Hadjar has truly made his mark at Racing Bulls, though. He leads Lawson 10-3 in their head-to-head battle prior to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Despite him being a rookie, Hadjar even out-qualified Tsunoda as teammates for the Chinese GP in P7 and P9.