Why Isack Hadjar is making a good first impression at Red Bull

Isack Hadjar has made a surprisingly strong start as Max Verstappen's new teammate at Red Bull, showing a significantly smaller performance gap than most of his predecessors in the notoriously difficult second seat. In the only direct qualifying session comparison so far this season, the French rookie was just 0.119 seconds slower than the reigning champion, a promising benchmark that has eluded many before him.

Why it matters:

The second seat at Red Bull has been a career graveyard for many talented drivers unable to match Verstappen's relentless pace. Finding a driver who can consistently operate within a few tenths of the Dutchman is crucial for the team's constructors' championship ambitions and for providing strategic options on race day. Hadjar's early form suggests Red Bull may have finally identified a partner who can avoid being completely overshadowed.

The details:

• Historical Context: Since Daniel Ricciardo's departure in 2018, a succession of drivers—Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda—have struggled to consistently match Verstappen's performance, often facing gaps of over half a second in qualifying.
• Hadjar's Benchmark: In Q3 at the Chinese Grand Prix, Hadjar qualified ninth, just 0.119 seconds behind Verstappen in eighth. This deficit is markedly smaller than those recorded by Gasly (+0.592s), Albon (+0.622s), and Perez (+0.533s) during their tenures.
• Caveat to Performance: The early comparison comes with a significant asterisk: both Red Bulls are currently fighting in the midfield, not for wins. The true test will come if the car improves and the pressure to score major points increases.
• Statistical Snapshot: The head-to-head table illustrates the challenge. Before Hadjar, only Ricciardo had a remotely competitive record against Verstappen (13-20 in qualifying). Others like Perez faced a stark 5-69 deficit.

What's next:

The 2026 season is only two races old, making any definitive judgment premature. The key questions for the coming months are threefold: Can Red Bull develop its car to rejoin the fight at the front? Can Verstappen return to regular victory contention? And most critically for Hadjar, can he maintain this close performance level when the car is capable of fighting for podiums and wins? If the answer to all three is yes, Red Bull may have solved a problem that has plagued it for nearly a decade.