For much of his career, Isack Hadjar has been regarded primarily as an extremely fast driver, particularly during his rise through the junior categories. He has always been one of those talents capable of impressing through outright lap time, aggression and an ability to find performance immediately even in the most complicated situations.
But his Azerbaijan Grand Prix comeback may have changed how Red Bull views him. After returning from a wrist injury and three race weekends on the sidelines, Isack Hadjar did not simply produce a podium result in Baku. His management of every phase of the weekend, his race pace and, above all, his composure inside the car suggested a more complete driver than the one Red Bull had seen before.
Isack Hadjar returns with a podium on one of F1’s toughest circuits
The context alone makes Isack Hadjar’s performance particularly significant. Following his wrist injury and three weekends away from racing, the French driver did not return at a conventional circuit but at one of the most demanding venues on the Formula 1 calendar.
Baku’s street layout leaves almost no margin for error, combining walls positioned extremely close to the racing line with long straights and sections that demand immediate confidence. The number of drivers who made at least one mistake during the weekend illustrated the challenge.
That is why Laurent Mekies’ comments carried particular weight. The Red Bull team principal stressed that the absolute priority had been to put Isack Hadjar back in the car only once he had returned to 100%. Once the team was satisfied that his wrist was no longer a problem, the Frenchman built his weekend progressively rather than forcing the issue, increasing both his pace and confidence session by session after several weeks without racing.
Laurent Mekies therefore highlighted the calm and methodical nature of Isack Hadjar’s progress. Fourth place in qualifying was already an excellent result, but his race pace proved even more impressive.
Red Bull had never previously seen Isack Hadjar look so competitive across both the medium and soft tyre compounds. That was perhaps the clearest indication of his development: rather than being a driver capable of shining during one isolated moment, he was able to sustain his performance across an entire weekend.
On the soft tyre, Isack Hadjar even showed more pace than Max Verstappen at one stage. The wider significance of his comeback was also highlighted in Red Bull’s assessment of Hadjar’s Azerbaijan GP performance, where his race craft and tactical discipline stood out alongside his outright speed.
Isack Hadjar’s radio response impresses Red Bull
The most interesting development of the weekend, however, did not appear on the timing screens. It came over the radio.
When Max Verstappen found himself behind Isack Hadjar during the opening stint, Red Bull asked the French driver to cooperate with the team and manage the situation by swapping positions.
In the past, this could have been a delicate moment for Isack Hadjar. During his junior career and the opening months of his Formula 1 journey, there had been impulsive radio messages, instinctive reactions and moments of frustration.
In Baku, however, the response was completely different. Isack Hadjar understood the wider picture of the race, protected his tyres, cooperated with Red Bull and Max Verstappen and, above all, maintained a level of emotional control that made an even greater impression than his speed.
After Red Bull switched the two drivers, the team may even have realised that Isack Hadjar was the faster of the pair during that phase of the race. The pit wall eventually asked the Frenchman how much quicker he believed he could be in clean air.
His response was strikingly calm: “Two or three tenths, but honestly I’m happy to be here.”
Laurent Mekies sees growing maturity in Isack Hadjar
It was a simple sentence, but one that revealed a great deal. Isack Hadjar had understood that the team’s result mattered more than his individual battle, while also recognising the strategic context of the race.
It is no coincidence that Laurent Mekies identified this episode as one of the most significant aspects of the entire weekend. The Red Bull team principal openly praised the reasoning Isack Hadjar was displaying from inside the cockpit as well as the emotional control he demonstrated during decisive stages of the Grand Prix.
For a young driver, those may be among the most meaningful compliments a team principal can offer.
The Baku podium was important because Isack Hadjar achieved it immediately after returning from injury, just as his fourth place in qualifying was significant. Yet the impression is that Red Bull left Azerbaijan particularly encouraged by qualities that cannot be measured simply by looking at the final classification.
Red Bull sees Hadjar turning speed into a more complete skill set
The weekend suggested that Isack Hadjar is learning how to transform raw talent into maturity. His performance came as Red Bull also fought at the front with Max Verstappen, who finished only 0.1 seconds away from victory after challenging George Russell to the finish in Baku.
For Red Bull, Hadjar’s progress matters beyond one podium. Outright speed has rarely been the major question surrounding the Frenchman; the challenge has been turning that speed into consistent race execution, tactical awareness and emotional control across an entire Grand Prix weekend.
Baku offered evidence of progress in all of those areas. In the long term, that is precisely what separates a naturally quick driver from one capable of becoming a genuine reference point for a team if, or when, Max Verstappen eventually decides to leave Formula 1.
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