Isack Hadjar has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 Formula 1 season so far and has already built himself a solid reputation.
The Red Bull junior was the last driver to be confirmed on the Formula 1 grid for this season, as his employer took their time to assess a variety of options.
Visa Cash App RB could have made a push for Williams’ Franco Colapinto, but ended up announcing Hadjar shortly after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After just nine races, the Frenchman sits ninth in the drivers’ championship and has been the most outstanding midfield driver alongside Alex Albon.
James Hinchcliffe believes Hadjar shares a ‘natural ability’ with Max Verstappen and has driven around anything in his way so far. He didn’t let a debut mistake dent his confidence in Australia.
Now, Red Bull are being begged not to promote Hadjar in 2025 over fears that it would halt his progress and ruin his development. Too many drivers have struggled at the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
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Helmut Marko loves Isack Hadjar’s ‘really funny’ F1 interviews amid 2026 Red Bull rumours
Red Bull’s ‘hottest candidate’ to replace Yuki Tsunoda is Hadjar and his recent run of three consecutive points-scoring finishes has done him good.
He has actually scored more points than both Liam Lawson and Tsunoda this season, both of whom have driven for the senior team.
It’s an incredible statistic, but he has been impressing off the track, too. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has enjoyed watching the 20-year-old in interviews recently.
“Definitely Isack Hadjar [is exciting],” he told BBC’s The Inside Track. “He, for me, is the most impressive rookie. He comes to a circuit which he doesn’t know and within three laps, he is competitive. He’s a regular Q3 qualifier and it comes very natural.
“He also proved in his personality, I heard some of his interviews, which were really funny and also [showed] a lot of sense of humour, also about himself, he can laugh.”
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What does Helmut Marko think about Isack Hadjar’s performances in 2025?
An admirer of the junior drivers’ exploits off the track, but what does Marko think of Hadjar’s exploits on it in 2025?
Marko was ‘very impressed’ by Hadjar after he managed a career-best result at the Monaco Grand Prix – a notoriously difficult place to drive, which requires maximum concentration.
However, Hadjar admitted he was ‘totally wiped out’ at Monaco and was feeling the effects of a first triple header of the season.
The more experience he gets, the better placed he will be to deal with such difficulties. Currently, he has a great chance of being in a race-winning car heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.
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