Isack Hadjar will graduate to Formula 1 with RB next season, joining his teammate Yuki Tsunoda at the Italian team.
Hadjar was blisteringly fast throughout his junior career, consistently competing for championships, but narrowly missed out in Formula 2.
The Frenchman battled Gabriel Bortoleto for the title throughout the season, and both drivers are stepping up to Formula 1 as the F2 champion joins Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber.
Hadjar had difficult moments in Formula 2, such as scoring just one podium in his first year, which may allow him to approach 2025 with RB as a stronger driver.
He suffered a lot in the final round of the F2 season as the Frenchman’s car stalled on the grid in the Feature Race, ending his title hopes.
Hadjar did one thing during the title decider that Alex Brundle found difficult as the title battle ended on the start line at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Alex Brundle found Isack Hadjar’s team radio messages ‘tough to listen to’
Hadjar’s Campos Racing car stalled, and it handed the championship to Bortoleto, who had a clear run to a second-place finish in the race.
He eventually joined the race, but RB’s new driver was at the back of the field and out of points-scoring contention.
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The Frenchman was pushing at his maximum despite having little to play for and the championship being out of reach.
Brundle explained on The F2 Show that his messages over the team radio were difficult to hear as Hadjar’s anguish was clear.
“We were poised on the start line, waiting for them, all you know, to happen. We’ve been winding ourselves up about it. We switched on, logged on, and were ready, and for it to end like that was just such a shame. What broke my heart even more was listening to those radio messages from Isack Hadjar when he was like, can you just over and you could tell what he was doing.
“Can you just tell me that if I was still in this race, I’d be going fast enough? That is tough to listen to, and it’s the pressure of the moment.”
Losing the championship was a very difficult episode for Hadjar after he had been a contender over the year, but it hasn’t affected his career too much.
The 20-year-old has a chance to prove himself in F1, but Hadjar will be under immediate pressure at RB. There is a lot of talent in the Red Bull junior programme, such as Arvid Lindblad in F2.
Isack Hadjar will need to keep his emotions under control in Formula 1
Hadjar has become known as a very emotional driver on the radio, which may need to be refined in Formula 1 as he will race among much more difficult competition.
His teammate Tsundoa used to be very chaotic behind the wheel but is now much calmer and produced many competitive results in 2024.
Hadjar’s link to the Red Bull programme was key to his joining RB as he saw off competition from Franco Colapinto despite the Argentine already having competed in nine races.
RB’s new recruit will have to be on the pace, as Red Bull have had a history of clinically releasing drivers from the sister team if they haven’t delivered.
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