Hadjar agrees he's not ready to partner Verstappen

Jun.13 (GMM)  Isack Hadjar agrees with those who think he is not yet ready to be Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing.

After Liam Lawson was dropped just two races into the season, Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to the senior team, but Red Bull is still trying to get him up to speed.

Technical director Pierre Wache admits the gap between Verstappen and Tsunoda is "not ideal" for a top-tier Formula 1 outfit.

Team advisor Dr Helmut Marko echoed that view.

"He's already doing a good job in the race, but he struggles in qualifying," Marko told Kleine Zeitung. "He particularly struggles when there are any kind of changes. Every session is new territory for him."

Asked what he expects from Tsunoda, Marko said: "Points. Ideally, as many as possible."

Speculation continues to build that Red Bull will turn to another young driver to fill the seat next to Verstappen in 2026 — and that driver appears to be Hadjar.

"He's sensational," Marko said. "He does well on all tracks, regardless of whether he's familiar with them or not. His Formula 1 debut has so far exceeded our expectations. He certainly has a great future ahead of him."

Still, Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer joked recently that he needs a pair of "handcuffs" to keep Hadjar tied to the junior team for now.

When a journalist suggested ahead of the Canadian GP that being promoted too soon could actually be a bad thing for his development, Hadjar agreed.

"It's perfectly legitimate to say that," he told RMC. "Liam and Yuki are talented drivers, so it's normal to think that. I am curious. That is the only thing that I can say - that I am curious to see what it is like next to Max."

But Hadjar admitted the prospect is intimidating.

"I don't feel ready yet. That's a fact," he said. "I think it's good to gain experience and stay where I am now. I enjoy every weekend and I learn a lot every weekend. I feel comfortable in this car. I haven't really had to deal with a difficult car yet. Let's see what the future brings.

"As a Red Bull junior, it's of course normal to follow the path and go there one day."

Former Racing Bulls team boss Franz Tost often said young drivers need three full seasons at the Faenza-based team before being truly ready for Red Bull.

"That's a fair comment, I think," said Hadjar. "You can do well at the top team even earlier, but what he says makes sense."]]>