Overview

• Multiple outlets and pundits now tip Isack Hadjar to join Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026, but the team has issued no official confirmation.
• Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko praised Hadjar’s mental strength and refusal to blame the car, signaling strong internal interest after Zandvoort.
• Hadjar told reporters he does not want an immediate switch, said he has not spoken directly with Marko, and insisted he does not see himself as a number two.
• Yuki Tsunoda’s contract runs to the end of 2025, a timing widely cited as creating the opening for a 2026 promotion.
• The surge in expectations followed Hadjar’s first Formula 1 podium at Zandvoort, part of a rookie season that has produced 37 points and tenth in the standings.