Isack Hadjar becomes the fastest Red Bull junior driver to reach a Formula 1 podium
A remarkable statistic for Isack Hadjar
Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar made history at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix, achieving a record few expected. According to F1 statistics expert Sundaram Ramaswami (@f1statsguru on X), Isack Hadjar became the Red Bull Academy driver to reach a Formula 1 podium in the fewest Grand Prix starts.
The 21-year-old French-Algerian finished in the top three after only 14 races, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s previous record of 22 Grand Prix starts. Max Verstappen is third on the list, having reached the podium after 24 races. For context, both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen initially entered the podium as race winners—Vettel triumphing at Monza 2008 with Toro Rosso, and Verstappen at Barcelona 2016 with Red Bull Racing.
Red Bull team podium history
Focusing solely on Red Bull drivers, the quickest to reach a podium remains Max Verstappen, who won on his debut. Sebastian Vettel followed, achieving a podium on his third race with the team (victory in China 2009), and Daniel Ricciardo took his first podium in his fifth race (third place in Barcelona 2014). Isack Hadjar now joins this elite list as the fastest Red Bull junior to stand on the podium.
FIA press conference exchange
Rumors have circulated for months that Isack Hadjar could partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026. The FIA press conference for the top three finishers offered a playful moment where journalists asked both drivers about the potential pairing. Max initially exclaimed “Terrible!” before smiling and clarifying he was joking. Isack Hadjar joined in the fun, saying, “I don’t want to be next to Max! I don’t like him,” before adding, “Max is someone I’ve admired for a long time. Spending most of the race within two or three seconds behind him, and sharing the podium with him at his home Grand Prix, was really amazing.”
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