Isack Hadjar has urged Red Bull to “give everything” to improve the RB22 during the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season, despite arriving at the summer break after seven consecutive points finishes. The young French driver has impressed with his consistency, but insists the team is still not where he wants it to be compared with Ferrari and Mercedes.
Hadjar has emerged as one of the positive stories of Red Bull’s difficult campaign. After several driver changes alongside Max Verstappen in recent seasons, the Milton Keynes team appears to have found a team-mate capable of delivering regular results while managing the demanding characteristics of the RB22.
Isack Hadjar urges Red Bull to improve the RB22
Red Bull entered the season hoping to fight at the front under Formula 1’s new technical regulations, but its opening races proved far more difficult than expected. The RB22 initially struggled for performance and occasionally found itself battling midfield teams such as Haas and Alpine.
The situation has gradually improved as Red Bull has introduced a series of developments and gained a better understanding of the car. Max Verstappen has returned to the podium fight, while Hadjar has built an impressive sequence of consistent finishes.
His progress was highlighted by sixth place at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which extended his run to seven consecutive points-scoring appearances. The Frenchman’s strong first half of the season has also lifted him to eighth in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
Red Bull appears to have found a strong partner for Max Verstappen
Hadjar’s performances have provided Red Bull with greater stability after a series of unsuccessful attempts to find a consistently competitive team-mate for Max Verstappen.
The 21-year-old has adapted well to the senior Red Bull team and has regularly extracted strong results from a package that remains difficult to manage. His development and the way he has compared with Max Verstappen during his first season at Milton Keynes were examined in a detailed assessment of Hadjar’s Red Bull progress at the summer break.
When asked about his recent form during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Hadjar expressed satisfaction with the way he has managed to maximise the RB22’s available performance.
Hadjar explains how he is maximising the difficult RB22
“The RB22 is a car that I can manage well,” Isack Hadjar said. “It is not the easiest car to drive, but it is really consistent. Over the last few races, I have been extracting the maximum from it and I am definitely happy.”
Although the RB22 has not always provided the outright pace required to challenge for victories, its more consistent behaviour has allowed Hadjar to build confidence and avoid the major fluctuations that affected Red Bull during the opening rounds.
The car nevertheless continues to suffer from important limitations. Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché has acknowledged that the RB22’s progress remains insufficient, with stability, understeer and a narrow operating window still restricting its performance.
Red Bull returns to the Formula 1 podium battle
Red Bull began the season in unfamiliar territory, sometimes fighting towards the rear of the field rather than challenging Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren at the front.
Recent developments have helped the team recover, allowing both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar to compete in positions more appropriate to Red Bull’s status. Max Verstappen’s second place in Hungary represented the team’s strongest result of the season and confirmed that the RB22 is now closer to its leading rivals.
However, Hadjar believes Red Bull must continue improving rather than treating its recent progress as sufficient. Ferrari and Mercedes still possess advantages in several important performance areas, while McLaren has also made a substantial step through its latest development package.
Dutch Grand Prix becomes Red Bull’s next major test
The championship will resume at Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix, where Red Bull will face another important examination in front of Max Verstappen’s home supporters. The complete timetable is available in the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix schedule.
Hadjar made it clear that Red Bull cannot relax during the summer break if it wants to reduce the deficit during the remaining races.
“We are still not where I would like us to be,” Isack Hadjar added. “There are still some areas in which we lack competitiveness compared with Ferrari and Mercedes, so we have to keep working hard, but it is certainly good progress.”
Hadjar’s consistency has demonstrated that Red Bull can rely on both drivers to score significant points, but the team’s ultimate ambitions extend beyond regular top-six finishes. The next phase of RB22 development will determine whether Red Bull can turn its recovery into a sustained challenge for victories during the second half of the season.
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