Isack Hadjar has been heavily tipped to make the step up to Red Bull Racing next season alongside star driver Max Verstappen, and his recent verdict on team orders in Formula 1 will certainly help his chances with Helmut Marko’s decision.
The latest product of the Red Bull Driver Academy has impressed many during his rookie season in F1 with Racing Bulls, with a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix in August fueling speculation that he will step into a Red Bull seat for F1’s new 2026 regulations.
Marko sees the 2026 season as the “best time” to promote Hadjar due to the new regulations marking a new era of F1 cars. He will have ample opportunity to prove he is capable of challenging Verstappen due to them both starting from zero at the wheel of the new machinery.
The Austrian constructor are yet to make a decision on Yuki Tsunoda’s future at the team following his struggles with adapting to the RB21 since he replaced Liam Lawson after just two rounds of the current campaign.
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Helmut Marko will love Isack Hadjar’s willingness to obey team orders
One of the biggest talking points surrounding McLaren’s dominant 2025 season has been team orders. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have had to abide by ‘papaya rules’ in certain scenarios, and it is a crucial aspect of being able to secure a constructors’ championship.
In a recent appearance on French podcast Bien Ou Foie, Hadjar was asked whether he had ever refused a team order during the middle of a race, to which the Frenchman replied, “Not yet.”
After being asked to tell the truth, Hadjar doubled down, replying, “I swear, seriously. You know what, it’s so badly looked upon these days to refuse. Especially because it’s a team sport.
“It’s very much a team sport. And me, as a rookie, at my level, I can’t afford that. And also, I just haven’t had a situation yet where that came up. For now, I trust my guys. And so far, I haven’t done anything stupid.”
Hadjar can prove to be a valuable member of the Red Bull set-up next season if he continues to show a willingness to play the team game ahead of his own motives.
The opening season will likely be allocated to figuring out teething issues with the new cars, but he can certainly put up a fight against the Dutchman in the following year if he proves to gel well with the car.
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Max Verstappen is a fan of Isack Hadjar ahead of a potential teammate pairing in 2026
As one of the most experienced drivers on the grid at just 28 years old, Verstappen has shown a key interest in the development of the 2025 F1 rookie class through his friendship with Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
The case of the Racing Bulls driver is no different. Verstappen is a keen admirer of Hadjar and the way that the 20-year-old conducts himself both on and off the track.
| Category | Isack Hadjar | Liam Lawson |
| 2025 points | 39 | 30 |
| Grand Prix results | 10 | 5 |
| Grand Prix qualifying | 11 | 4 |
| Grand Prix wins | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Prix poles | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Prix podiums | 1 | 0 |
| Best finish | 3rd | 6th |
| Retirements | 1 | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Prix points finishes | 8 | 5 |
| Sprint results | 1 | 1 |
| Sprint Qualifying | 2 | 0 |
| Sprint wins | 0 | 0 |
| Sprint poles | 0 | 0 |
| Sprint podiums | 0 | 0 |
The pair of drivers could very well see themselves sharing a garage at the Austrian constructor if Marko is to get his wish, and there is no doubt that Hadjar will benefit greatly from the experience.
Currently sitting in ninth place in the drivers’ standings with 39 points, Hadjar has a further seven races to pad his stats until the chequered flag falls to conclude the 2025 campaign in December.