BETTER THAN RB? WHY ISACK HADJAR FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE SENIOR RED BULL GARAGE
F1 news: Isack Hadjar speaks. Get the report on his transition to the senior team and why the 2026 rules suit his driving style.
The young Frenchman kept things pretty quiet over the winter, but early on, you can tell he’s settling in well inside one of Formula 1’s most high-pressure garages.
“I’m someone who really enjoys hard work, so I feel more comfortable here,” Hadjar said. “Honestly, I’m really happy working with people this committed to winning. I’m glad to be here. I feel lucky.”
He says everything’s running smoothly.
Hadjar even dropped a hint that he feels more at home at Red Bull than he did with Racing Bulls.
Most importantly, he says his relationship with reigning champ Max Verstappen is off to a good start.
“Max doesn’t hide anything,” he told Auto Hebdo. “He shares all the data and answers every question I have. And since he’s always so fast, I can actually compare our data.”
He also pointed out that Verstappen’s feedback always matches what shows up in the telemetry.
“He’s honest,” Hadjar said. “It matters to me that what a driver says lines up with the data. That really helps me improve.”
And it’s not just Hadjar who feels good about the fit. Two of Verstappen’s old teammates, Alexander Albon and Sergio Perez, have both thrown their support behind Hadjar.
“I think Isack’s quick, and the rule changes in 2026 are good for him. "It's a fresh start for everyone,” Albon said. “From what I’ve seen, he looks comfortable in the car. He’s got a lot to learn, especially with Max as his teammate, but I think he’ll do just fine.”
Perez agrees the timing’s right.
“He’s ready for Red Bull,” the Mexican said. “With all these regulation changes, and with his talent, if he keeps his cool this year, he’ll have a long, successful F1 career.”
“Being Max’s teammate at Red Bull, in such a strong team, that’s a huge opportunity.”
Hadjar’s keeping it real about the team’s current pace.
“We’re not the fastest; that’s just the truth,” he admitted. Right now, he puts Red Bull as the fourth-strongest team heading into Melbourne. Even finishing eighth wouldn’t feel like a setback; it’d just be a realistic place to start.
He says Ferrari looks especially strong, with Mercedes and McLaren not far behind.
Still, Hadjar’s staying positive.
“Our reliability is solid, and our race pace looks good,” he said. “At least early in the season, I expect we’ll be more competitive in the races than in qualifying.”
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
