Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Who is Isack Hadjar? The story behind Red Bull Racing’s newest F1 driver
From scoring his first F1 podium as a rookie to joining Oracle Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen in 2026, discover Isack Hadjar’s journey and the key moments that shaped his career.
What a rookie Formula One season it’s been for 21-year-old French driver Isack Hadjar. Not only did he record a podium finish in his first year on the grid and eight further top-10 finishes, he has now been called to join four-time world champion Max Verstappen at Oracle Red Bull Racing from the start of the 2026 season. "After all the hard work I've put in since joining the Junior Team, it’s such a great reward," said Hadjar, who's been driving for Visa Cash App Racing Bulls in 2025.
The Racing Bulls are a team Hadjar credits with helping him improve significantly: "I feel I'm much better as a racing driver and a person due to the team's support and preparation. I feel ready to go to Oracle Red Bull Racing and I'm happy and proud they feel the same. It's an awesome move." When asked about racing alongside Max Verstappen, Hadjar said: "To work with the best and learn from Max is something I can't wait for."
Isack Hadjar is joing Max Verstappen at Oracle Red Bull Racing in 2026
© Oracle Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
To work with the best and learn from Max is something I can't wait for
01
What Isack Hadjar can expect from the 2026 F1 season
Hadjar will join the senior Red Bull team at the start of an exciting new chapter for F1, as the sport undergoes its biggest technical regulation changes in over a decade. The new rules call for lighter, more agile cars with updated chassis, aerodynamics and engines. Oracle Red Bull Racing will reveal their all-new RB22 to the public in mid-January.
"In his first F1 season, Isack has displayed great maturity and proved to be a quick learner," said Laurent Mekies, Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Team Principal. "Most importantly, Isack has demonstrated the raw speed that is the number-one requirement in this sport. We believe Isack can thrive alongside Max and produce the magic on track," added Mekies, who knows Hadjar from working with him at the Racing Bulls. "2026 will be a huge challenge for the team and for Red Bull Ford Powertrains. These are exciting times, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can do together."
02
Isack Hadjar’s early karting years and childhood dream
With his F3 car in Hungary
© Dutch Photo Agency/Red Bull Content Pool
Only five years passed between Isack Hadjar's birth and the moment he put his foot on the accelerator for the first time. A year later, he then took a more "serious" (in his own words) step (yes, at the age of six) in this direction. Under these circumstances, you'd usually assume that pushy parents were to blame for putting him behind the wheel at such an early ages, but that wasn't the case here: "I always wanted to do it. Have you seen the film Cars? It gave me the impetus. I saw it and thought: 'OK, that's it, that's my thing'," he says. "I always had at least a little car in my hand."
When he was seven years old, he took part in his first regional competitions with a 4.5hp kart. That was the start of a burgeoning career. From regional level to the 2018 World Championships, Hadjar was able to prove himself in karting on almost every circuit in the country before moving to the next level.
03
Joining the FFSA: Hadjar’s rise through French motorsport
Isack Hadjar, the rising star of French motorsport
© Dutch Photo Agency/Red Bull Content Pool
After that, he was gripped by his obsession with Formula One. Although he continued his education at a public school when he joined the FFSA (Fédération Française du Sport Automobile) academy, he says in retrospect: "The FFSA was like a second home". It was there that he discovered the joys of single-seater racing in F4, finishing seventh in the French championship and taking his first victory at Spa-Francorchamps. A year later, at the age of 16, he had eight further podiums, two poles and three wins, finishing third overall.
The fact that he was a talent for the future could no longer be denied. He joined the FRECA, a regional F3 championship halfway between F4 and F3. While some drivers try to go straight from one level to the other by skipping this intermediate stage, in hindsight Hadjar is glad he made the decision to make the transition easier for himself. The decision paid off, as he became a star in the Formula Regional. He cemented his position as Rookie of the Year with a magnificent victory in Monaco. Following his third place in the overall standings, the Red Bull Junior Team took notice and announced that he would join them for the 2022 season; this time in F3.
Isack Hadjar is now part of Formula One
© Dutch Photo Agency/Red Bull Content Pool
His obvious talent meant he only spent a short time in F3. He raced there for one season, battling Victor Martins and Oliver Bearman straight for the title. Unfortunately, a failed qualifying session in Monza ruined his chances of overall victory. Despite the disappointment, Hadjar saw this stage as a real learning experience, particularly in terms of media exposure: "It takes place at the same time as F1 and is broadcast on Canal Plus, so of course the media coverage is not the same." He finished fourth, but made such a good impression that he was promoted to F2 a few months later.
His first season was all about getting used to the new environment. He says of the transition from F3 to F2: "It was difficult, the step was complicated. I remember that I didn't feel comfortable in my team. It's no longer just 'here, we give you the car and you drive it', this was a real, collective effort together with the engineers. If you don't feel well looked after, it can't work. He finished 14th, but in the following season Hadjar continued to establish himself as a rising star in motorsport. He finished runner-up in the F2 World Championship with Campos Racing, narrowly missing out on the title. As he prepared for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, he was a few points behind Gabriel Bortoleto. Unfortunately, the Hadjar stalled on the start line and his Brazilian rival went on to finish second and claim the title. Looking back, however, this season was a complete success: "We did everything right," he says with a proud smile on his face.
04
Overcoming challenges: Hadjar’s path through F2
On the F2 podium again at Emilia-Romagna
© Dutch Photo Agency/Red Bull Content Pool
F1 drivers are often the envy of the younger generation. As successful sporting role models, they spark interest, curiosity and sometimes even envy. But when asked to talk about the difficulties he's experienced in his young career, Hadjar seems to have no choice but to be honest. He has to go back to the beginning of his career: "When I drove my first international season, I realised how hard it is. When you're young, you're already under financial pressure that you'll carry with you for the rest of your career. This financial aspect frustrated me; it was hard to cope with not being able to take part in all the championship races," he laments. "While I was at school, my colleagues were on the track [...] when you get to the race, you're obviously much less prepared [than they are]."
And then his switch to F2 was anything but a walk in the park: "The most difficult year of my life? That was in F2. In 2023, there were times when I thought: 'I'll never make it into F1'. When things aren't going so well, there are weekends when you wonder why you've made this journey. To be honest, I've had some really bad times," he explains.
05
Settling into F1: Hadjar on facing familiar rivals
Hadjar's development has been exponential
© Dutch Photo Agency/Red Bull Content Pool
After what has been an exponential rise over the years, Hadjar is now at a turning point in his career. When this interview happened, he was preparing for the premier class of motorsport. When asked about his previous relationships with his team-mates, Isack showed no reservations: "I may be biased, but I think I'm an easy-going team-mate. I consider myself a real team player. I've always been good to my colleagues, I don't try to hide information".
When asked about his relationship with his other rivals, he replies: "I get on well with Pierre [Gasly] and of course I also know the F2 drivers who have moved up to F1 very well. These guys have been part of my life since we were kids. We've raced in the same championships, we've chased each other around the track and watched our progression from karting to F1. It's great to be on the grid with people like that."
06
Rookie F1 season: Hadjar’s first podium and Oracle Red Bull Racing move
In Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix
© Clive Rose/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Fifteen races into his rookie Formula One season, Isack Hadjar secured his first podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing third after a dramatic race.
Hadjar is now the third Frenchman to currently be competing in F1, along with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Although he's always been considered a promising candidate for the premier class, he's been able to take it one step at a time. Today, he's particularly grateful for the influence his family had on his development. "They were always by my side, the whole thing is a family project. You can't decide on your own at the age of seven to start karting. You need the right support, the right people around you. My parents have always been smart. We always specifically chose the championships we wanted to take part in. I think we were smart about it."
