Isack Hadjar is mere days away from making his Formula 1 debut with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix after joining Yuki Tsunoda at the team.
The Faenza squad have welcomed a new Red Bull prospect into their ranks after seeing Liam Lawson replace Sergio Perez for their main team for the 2025 season. Hadjar is the 17th Red Bull Junior Team product to graduate into Formula 1, plus the 13th to debut for Racing Bulls.
Tsunoda also made the step up from Formula 2 to F1 for Racing Bulls whilst the team known as RB in 2024 were still named AlphaTauri. The 2025 Formula 1 season marks the 24-year-old’s fifth year in Faenza – no driver has had a longer single spell at the junior Red Bull team.
Isack Hadjar must be ‘realistic’ comparing his speed with Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls
Tsunoda finds it ‘weird’ to be Racing Bulls’ experienced driver having been at the team since 2021. He has also made 87 Grand Prix starts from 90 race entries so far. The Japanese gem has also secured 91 career points plus a fastest lap but is still yet to stand on a podium in F1.
Racing Bulls further only had to rely on Tsunoda to guide the team for the first time over the final six races of last season after Lawson replaced Daniel Ricciardo. He had partnered Pierre Gasly for 2021-22 and Nyck de Vries began 2023 with AlphaTauri as a Formula E champion.
READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know
Tsunoda will now lead Racing Bulls and be a benchmark for Hadjar’s performance as the 20-year-old looks to prove himself as a Formula 1 driver. But given the Japanese racer’s time in F1, Hadjar accepts he must be ‘realistic’ when comparing his lap times to Tsunoda’s speed.
“He’s the only one having the same car as me,” Hadjar told Motorsport Week. “So, at the end of the campaign, he’s the only one I can compare to and it’s no surprise that I want to be faster. But you have to be realistic, as well.
“Starting the season, I have no experience at all. So, I will have to keep my head down and just learn from him.”
Isack Hadjar has impressed Racing Bulls with his speed in their 2025 F1 car
Hadjar may have a somewhat under-the-radar start to his Formula 1 career at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16 after Racing Bulls’ underwhelming pre-season test in Bahrain. David Croft did not see anything from Racing Bulls to show they will contend for Q3 in Melbourne.
But the Frenchman will not get long to settle as Jaime Alguersuari fears Hadjar will get angry phone calls from Helmut Marko if the Red Bull motorsport advisor is not impressed with how the 2024 F2 championship runner-up is getting up to speed with Racing Bulls’ 2025 F1 car.
Hadjar’s speed has impressed Racing Bulls, however, after he took their VCARB 02 out for an early run at Imola before flying to Bahrain for F1 testing. They and he will hope that holds up once the gloves come off starting in Melbourne and Hadjar can get close to Tsunoda’s times.
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