Isack Hadjar has highlighted Max Verstappen’s race management as the area in which his Red Bull team-mate remains “another level”, despite the Frenchman producing an impressive first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Isack Hadjar has shown encouraging pace alongside the four-time world champion, particularly in qualifying, but believes Sundays are where Max Verstappen’s exceptional qualities become most apparent.
The comparison with Max Verstappen is one of the toughest challenges any Formula 1 driver can face, especially for a young talent still gaining experience at the highest level. Yet Isack Hadjar has demonstrated speed, personality and adaptability during his first year and a half in F1, with his progress at Red Bull attracting attention during the summer break.
Isack Hadjar closing the gap to Max Verstappen
Performing well alongside Max Verstappen does not necessarily mean beating him over a single lap or finishing ahead of him in races. Just avoiding losing significant ground to a driver who sets one of Formula 1’s highest benchmarks can itself underline the quality of a team-mate’s performances.
The numbers have been encouraging for Isack Hadjar. The French driver has scored roughly two-thirds as many points as Max Verstappen, with 68 compared to 109, while his average qualifying deficit stands at 0.240 seconds. Isack Hadjar has also enjoyed the satisfaction of qualifying ahead of the four-time world champion on three occasions. Their respective championship positions can be followed in the Formula 1 driver standings.
Isack Hadjar says Max Verstappen is ‘another level’ in races
Qualifying has been the area that has pleased Isack Hadjar most during the first half of the championship. In race conditions, however, the Frenchman believes Max Verstappen remains on another level, with the Dutch driver’s management of a Grand Prix now becoming a particular focus of his own development.
“Max has been really impressive on Sundays, in every aspect. The way he manages races is on another level. That’s what I’m focusing on now. In Hungary, we all thought we would do better, but we couldn’t get a balanced and driveable car for me. It’s reassuring that Max gave the same feedback, otherwise I would really be asking myself questions.”
The Hungarian weekend proved difficult for Red Bull, with Max Verstappen himself expressing frustration during the event, including in previously unaired team radio from Hungary. The difficulties with the car also gave Isack Hadjar some reassurance that the handling problems he experienced were not unique to his side of the garage.
For the full picture of the weekend, the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix results and final classification provide the wider context for Red Bull’s performance at the Hungaroring.
Hadjar sees improvement as natural in his second F1 season
Despite the attention his performances have attracted, Isack Hadjar does not regard his progress in 2026 as particularly surprising. Instead, he sees it as the natural consequence of gaining experience and raising his level during his second Formula 1 campaign.
“To be honest, this year I’m not surprised by myself. I’ve simply been driving at a high level, definitely better than last year, and I’m doing well in qualifying,” Isack Hadjar added. “However, that’s normal because it’s my second season. I still don’t have much experience, but I’m improving a little.”
Red Bull rewards Isack Hadjar’s progress
Isack Hadjar’s performances have inevitably caught Red Bull’s attention. Team principal Laurent Mekies has already moved to secure the Frenchman’s contract renewal, giving him greater continuity and an opportunity to continue developing alongside Max Verstappen.
The decision marks a departure from a period in which Red Bull repeatedly changed Max Verstappen’s team-mates before they had much time to grow into the role. Isack Hadjar’s pace and development have instead earned him the chance to continue learning alongside Formula 1’s four-time world champion, with improving his race management now emerging as the next major step.
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