The Red Bull Racing driver, Isack Hadjar, has reflected on his performance during the first half of the Formula 1 season of 2026, acknowledging that he still has aspects to improve, especially compared to his teammate, Max Verstappen. Despite his good start, Hadjar is not surprised by his performances and is aware of the necessary areas for his growth.
After Daniel Ricciardo’s move to Renault, the position of the second driver at Red Bull has historically been complicated. However, 21-year-old Hadjar has achieved a decent performance thus far, compared to the difficulties faced by other drivers in this same role.
In a recent interview, Hadjar admitted that he has not surprised himself, as he had predicted that the changes in regulations offer a good opportunity to showcase his potential. ‘I have been driving at a good level, better than last year,’ he commented, highlighting that he still has much to learn.
Data indicates that Hadjar has been, on average, 0.237 seconds behind Verstappen in qualifying, a favorable margin compared to previous Red Bull drivers in this situation. However, the area that currently occupies him is his race pace, where a more significant difference has been observed.
‘My speed on a lap has been decent, but the way Max manages races is on another level,’ Hadjar added. In fact, he has lost an average of 0.490 seconds per lap in the race compared to Verstappen, a figure that indicates he still has a way to go in this respect.
One of the positive aspects he highlighted is that his technical feedback coincides with Verstappen’s, good news for both him and the team. Hadjar mentioned that in recent races, such as the Hungarian Grand Prix, he did not feel comfortable with the car, and that affected his performance.
The young driver concludes that as the season progresses, both he and the team need to work together to improve performance. With a promising future ahead of him, it is clear that Hadjar is determined to seize the opportunities that come his way and continue his growth in the world of Formula 1.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
