Racing Bulls boss delivers ‘careful’ verdict on whether Isack Hadjar is ready for Red Bull promotion

Follow us on Google Discover

Isack Hadjar has been the frontrunner for a 2026 Red Bull drive alongside Max Verstappen for a few months.

His rookie Formula 1 campaign has been very impressive, including a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix. Heading into the 2026 F1 regulations, he can rest assured that he has a seat on the grid, and his situation will either remain the same or improve.

Red Bull don’t have too much choice when it comes to selecting their driver line-up for next year. Hadjar is the pick for the future, but with a new set of rules, more experience could be beneficial to the team’s development of the car, as well as any Verstappen push for the drivers’ championship.

Hadjar wants to be in the Red Bull in Abu Dhabi for the post-season test, so that he can get an extra understanding of their processes before 2026. However, Martin Brundle says Red Bull ‘ideally’ won’t promote Hadjar, believing that the move might be coming too soon for him.

READ MORE: One Red Bull 2026 driver decision is now ‘done and dusted’ after the Mexican Grand Prix

Alan Permane won’t admit whether Isack Hadjar is ‘ready’ for Red Bull promotion

Hadjar says leaving Racing Bulls would be ‘very painful’ because he has had so much fun since joining them this year. He was the last driver to be confirmed on the 2025 grid, but he comes out of the other side of it having been one of the most impressive individuals this year.

Karun Chandhok is scared Red Bull will make two mistakes, including dropping Yuki Tsunoda from the senior team to make way for Hadjar. The Japanese driver is just starting to show signs of getting comfortable, but it may be too little, too late.

Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane has now issued a ‘careful’ verdict on whether his driver is ready for promotion. Undoubtedly, he would be a big asset to lose.

“I have to be careful with my words, because it’s not up to me to say whether he’s ready or not,” Permane told the Italian edition of Motorsport.com. “I believe a driver is constantly in a learning process; throughout his career, he never stops learning.

“This year, we’ve seen how even a seven-time world champion continues to improve, race after race, so I think it’s difficult to determine how ‘ready’ a driver truly is.

“I can say that Isack is very fast, he’s eager to grow, he’s tenacious, and he’s very mentally strong. I’d also add that the day he changes teams, he’ll have maximum support.”

READ MORE: What Helmut Marko is now saying behind the scenes about Isack Hadjar as 2026 Red Bull decision looms

What bad signs has Isack Hadjar shown at Racing Bulls in 2025?

Even though he has been impressive for much of the season, at other times, Hadjar has failed to deliver what is expected of him.

Hadjar was visibly furious after a United States Grand Prix crash, and it’s something for Red Bull to take note of.

If he ends up at a top team, controlling his emotions is going to be a critical part of his work. That consistency is crucial.

On the other hand, his resilience and ability to dig deep, such as when he went on a five-race streak without scoring any points in the summer, show that he has some real mental fortitude.