Karun Chandhok: Isack Hadjar's F1 Future Hinges on Red Bull's 2026 'Philosophical' Decision

F1 pundit Karun Chandhok argues that Isack Hadjar's ultimate success or failure as Max Verstappen's 2026 teammate will depend on a fundamental 'philosophical' choice Red Bull's management must make: whether to prioritize the Drivers' Championship with a car built around Verstappen or pursue the Constructors' title by developing a machine more drivers can handle.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's chronic struggle to field a competitive second driver alongside Max Verstappen has cost them crucial points in the Constructors' Championship, despite Verstappen's individual dominance. The team's approach to car development and driver management for the 2026 season will not only define Hadjar's career trajectory but also determine if Red Bull can return to being a consistent double-title contender.

The details:

• Chandhok highlights the team's recent history, where drivers like Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez have struggled to match Verstappen's performance, leading to a significant points deficit in the team standings.
• The core dilemma is whether Red Bull continues its current path—building a car supremely suited to Verstappen's unique style to secure the Drivers' Championship—or shifts philosophy to create a more universally drivable car to maximize points from both drivers and win the Constructors' title.
• Chandhok points to the 2024 season as an "extreme" example of the cost of their current approach. He suggests that if the second Red Bull had been more competitive and consistently finished second behind Verstappen, it could have been enough to secure him the Drivers' title over Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri.

The big picture:

This is not a new problem for Red Bull, but its consequences are becoming more acute in an increasingly competitive field. While the team has enjoyed unparalleled success with Verstappen, their inability to develop a stable, high-performing driver pairing has left them vulnerable in the team championship and put immense pressure on any driver stepping into the second seat. The upcoming 2026 regulatory reset presents a critical opportunity for Red Bull to redefine its engineering and strategic philosophy from the ground up.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Isack Hadjar's performance at Racing Bulls in 2025 as his audition for the top seat intensifies. More importantly, the technical direction of Red Bull's 2026 car will reveal the team's chosen philosophy. If they opt for a more adaptable design, it could signal a new era of stability and double-title challenges. If they double down on a Verstappen-centric machine, they may continue to dominate one championship while ceding ground in the other, with Hadjar's tenure likely facing the same turbulent fate as his predecessors.