Guenther Steiner issues warning to Isack Hadjar: “Many thought they were ready, then they failed”. Guenther Steiner has warned Isack Hadjar about the challenge of becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate.

At this time last year, Red Bull had said goodbye to Sergio Perez, almost certain that with the young Liam Lawson they would be able to field a competitive car even in the hands of the second driver. Unfortunately, the start of the 2025 championship was far from positive for the New Zealander.

After just a few races, with only two race weekends completed, the Austrian team decided to send Lawson back to Racing Bulls and promote Yuki Tsunoda as Max Verstappen’s new teammate.

Unfortunately, the outcome was not positive in Yuki Tsunoda’s case either. The Japanese driver finished the season with 33 points, 30 of which were scored with Red Bull. A tally considered insufficient to earn confirmation for 2026, especially when taking into account that without Honda’s support it would have been difficult for him to remain within the Red Bull family anyway.

An uncomfortable position for Isack Hadjar, Steiner: “You’ll be among the greats if it works”

As a result, Red Bull made a major decision in Milton Keynes for the following season. Rookie Isack Hadjar impressed everyone behind the wheel of one of the Faenza-based team’s cars, ending his season with 51 points, and was rewarded with a huge opportunity for 2026: sharing the garage with Max Verstappen.

Despite the French driver showing strong potential, the task awaiting him will be anything but simple. Speaking to RTL and Sport.de, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner voiced his concerns about the challenge ahead.

“He has shown that he has good mental stability. Let’s remember what we thought of him after the mistake he made in Australia on the formation lap. Many people thought it was already over for him,” Steiner said.

“Many have felt ready, but then failed because of Max Verstappen. When an opportunity like this comes along, you have to take it,” Guenther Steiner added, as reported by GPBlog.com. “You can’t simply say: ‘I don’t want to go there because others have failed.’ It’s certainly a challenge, but if it works, you’ll be among the greats,” he concluded.

The new Racing Bulls line-up

With Isack Hadjar moving to Red Bull, the Faenza-based team’s cars in 2026 will instead feature Liam Lawson in the role of the more experienced driver, alongside rookie Arvid Lindblad. The young talent comes from Red Bull’s academy and was competing in Formula 2 during the 2025 season.