Isack Hadjar reflects on ‘fantastic journey’ as he exits Racing Bulls for 2026 Red Bull seat. Isack Hadjar reflects on his rookie F1 season with Racing Bulls.

Final weekend with Racing Bulls

Isack Hadjar’s final race as a rookie in Formula 1 ended with a disappointing result for the Racing Bulls driver, as Abu Dhabi marked his last Grand Prix with the Faenza-based team. The 21-year-old Franco-Algerian, set to join Red Bull as Max Verstappen’s new teammate in 2026, finished no higher than 17th in a weekend that proved extremely challenging for both him and the team. Despite the difficult race, Racing Bulls were able to celebrate their sixth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship.

A strong rookie season

Isack Hadjar’s first season in the F1 Circus concluded with him in 11th place, tied with Nico Hülkenberg, and highlighted by several standout performances. Most notably, he achieved a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, his first and only podium in his rookie year. His seat will be taken over by Arvid Lindblad in 2026, who recently won the Formula 2 Sprint Race in Abu Dhabi. Reflecting on his season, Isack Hadjar said: “It was a very tough Sunday – we didn’t have enough pace throughout the weekend to fight for our usual positions, and it was a surprise for me to qualify P9. We started in the points, but we knew it would be difficult to maintain that position. Looking back at the positives and reflecting on my first F1 season, it has been a fantastic journey, and I am proud of everyone at VCARB for everything we achieved together. It wasn’t the last race we wanted, but finishing P6 in the Constructors’ Championship was our goal and a great reward for all of us.”

Looking ahead with Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson will continue his F1 journey with Racing Bulls next season. The New Zealander began the 2025 season with Red Bull but delivered results below expectations. Lawson also struggled in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, finishing 18th: “Congratulations to the team for finishing P6 in the Constructors’ Championship. Even though today we struggled with strategy and pace, we had a positive season and achieved our goal this weekend. I’m excited to return to work after the short winter break. Next year will be a great opportunity with the team, and I am very excited and grateful for this!” – Liam Lawson concluded at the race which was held at the Yas Marina Circuit, the 5.281 km motorsport racing track situated on Yas Island.