Here's the thing: Isack Hadjar is staying put alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull into the 2027 season. Following a strong rookie campaign at Racing Bulls that earned him a step up to the senior outfit in 2026, the Frenchman has impressed alongside the four-time World Champion and seemingly broken the notorious curse of the second Red Bull seat.
Now, as the paddock gathers for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend at the Baku City Circuit, this contract news arrives alongside Hadjar's return to action from a wrist injury. Speaking in Thursday's team representative press conference, Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies didn't hesitate when asked about the story behind the extension and whether it was a straightforward call for the team chiefs.
“It was really easy,” Mekies made clear. He pointed to Hadjar's natural speed, his rapid integration into the team during the early weeks, and his relocation to the UK with regular visits to Milton Keynes every other week. Mekies also highlighted the driver's constant upward trajectory, noting that they have seen him do something a bit better pretty much every race weekend.
When pressed on the specifics of the renewal and whether it spans multiple years, Mekies explained that Hadjar has spent a very long time with Red Bull as part of their junior programme, meaning a very long-term contract is in place. Consequently, the team simply activated their options to secure him for 2027.
Looking ahead to what is expected of Hadjar during his second season with the squad, and whether that involves closing the gap to Verstappen, Mekies kept the focus firmly on development. “What we expect him to do is to continue to progress,” Mekies said, pointing to the technical feedback, maturity, integration, and speed shown so far.
That steady improvement is what the team wants to see continue through both the second part of the year and into next season. And as Mekies noted, if Hadjar keeps doing that, he will naturally end up very close to Max, because both of those things go together.
