Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull’s Formula 1 squad, is hopeful that Isaac Hajjar will keep impressing as he teams up with Max Verstappen in the 2026 season. The French racer debuted with Red Bull’s sister team last year, making a strong impact throughout the 24-race season. Hajjar earned his first championship points with an eighth-place finish in Japan, following a sixth-place result in Monaco earlier in the year. After the summer break, he achieved his maiden podium at Zandvoort, ending 12th in the overall standings—just ahead of his teammate Liam Lawson.
Hajjar has now been promoted to Red Bull’s main team, taking over from Hiroki Tsunoda, who finished 17th in last season’s rankings. Mekies acknowledged that stepping up to Red Bull has been challenging for recent drivers like Lawson and Tsunoda, who haven’t maintained their previous performances. In an interview with the official F1 website, Mekies tempered expectations but expressed hope that Hajjar will “continue to surprise” as he did during the 2025 season.
“Isaac had an incredible first year,” Mekies said. “His qualifying performance at the start of the season was outstanding. We have strong faith not only in his raw talent but also in his ability to develop. We’ve witnessed many champions improve and perform feats with their cars that they couldn’t do just a few races earlier. Isaac has shown the same progression this year, mastering skills he didn’t have a few races ago.” He added, “We see this as a new beginning for him to keep growing, impressing, and astonishing us. This progress is expected over a few years, and we’re excited to be on this journey with him.”
Fan Take: This announcement is thrilling for Racing fans as it highlights Red Bull’s commitment to nurturing young talent, potentially shaping the future of the sport. Isaac Hajjar’s rise could bring fresh excitement and rivalry to F1, especially alongside a star like Max Verstappen.
