Isack Hadjar Targets Verstappen’s Race Craft to Close the Gap at Red Bull

Isack Hadjar has praised Max Verstappen's ability to manage a Grand Prix, describing the Dutchman's race craft as being on a "different level." Now in his second year with the senior Red Bull team, the Frenchman is focusing on bridging the gap between raw one-lap speed and consistent race-day execution to elevate his standing within the team.

Why it matters:

Historically, the second seat at Red Bull has been a high-pressure environment where talented drivers like Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda struggled to maintain consistency alongside Verstappen. Hadjar’s ability to remain competitive in the RB22 suggests a shift in the team's dynamic, but mastering the art of race management is the final hurdle to becoming a genuine championship threat and breaking the trend of teammate volatility in Milton Keynes.

The Details:

• Performance Split: Hadjar reports satisfaction with his one-lap pace but acknowledges a distinct deficit in long-run form and strategic execution during the race.
• Technical Adaptability: Unlike previous eras where cars were developed almost exclusively around Verstappen's extreme preferences, Hadjar has found the RB22 more approachable, allowing him to fare better than his predecessors.
• Growth Trajectory: After his promotion from Racing Bulls, Hadjar views his current form as a natural progression of his second season in F1 rather than a surprise, focusing on incremental improvement.

The Big Picture:

Red Bull's pursuit of sustained constructors' dominance relies on a balanced driver pairing. Hadjar's relative stability compared to previous teammates provides the team with a more reliable points-scoring engine. However, the "Verstappen standard" remains the ultimate benchmark; raw speed is common on the grid, but the ability to control a race from the front is what separates the elite from the rest.

What's next:

As the 2026 season progresses, Hadjar will focus on analyzing Verstappen's race-day decision-making and tire management. The goal is to translate his qualifying competitiveness into a more clinical Sunday performance, aiming to turn one-off podiums into a consistent threat for the top steps of the podium.