Isack Hadjar praised as Red Bull's strongest Verstappen teammate since Ricciardo

Isack Hadjar is emerging as Red Bull's most competitive teammate for Max Verstappen since Daniel Ricciardo departed in 2018. Through the opening 11 rounds of the 2026 season, the French rookie has kept his qualifying deficit to just over two tenths on average, outperforming the team's internal three-tenths benchmark and earning praise from Sky Sports pundit Anthony Davidson for his honest, level-headed approach.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's second seat has been a career graveyard for nearly a decade. Pierre Gasly lasted just 12 races, Alex Albon barely 18 months, and while Sergio Perez won five grands prix, he too was eventually jettisoned, as were Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda. Hadjar's early consistency suggests Red Bull may finally have a durable counterweight to Verstappen, one capable of scoring regularly without imploding under the pressure of the Dutchman's relentless benchmark.

The details:

• Qualifying pace: Hadjar's average deficit of just over 0.2s is the closest any teammate has managed on a sustained basis since Ricciardo left the Milton Keynes squad.
• Points haul: The 21-year-old has amassed 68 points in the first half of 2026, comfortably exceeding Tsunoda's 30-point tally from twice as many rounds.
• Davidson's view: The former F1 driver told Sky Sports that facing Verstappen is an "honest experience" with "nowhere to hide," praising Hadjar's mental resilience in accepting the benchmark.
• Standout moments: Hadjar qualified on the second row in Melbourne and backed up his pace with a best finish of fourth in Monaco.

The big picture:

Hadjar's start is about more than rookie promise. A reliable second driver who can qualify within two tenths and score consistently would relieve the strategic burden on Verstappen and strengthen Red Bull's constructors' championship push, addressing a weakness that has plagued the team through its dominant eras.

What's next:

The second half of the 2026 season will determine whether Hadjar can maintain this standard as the development war intensifies. Sustaining his current form could finally end Red Bull's second-seat curse and cement the Frenchman as a long-term fixture at Milton Keynes.