Overview
- Isack Hadjar says he is still pinching himself after stepping up to Red Bull and admits he initially worried about teaming with Max Verstappen.
- He explains the pressure feels manageable because he sets higher standards for himself than outside critics and has trained to handle stress since karting.
- Early in 2026 he has run close to Verstappen and, on some weekends, been quicker in qualifying and race pace despite the tricky RB22.
- After three rounds he sits 12th in the standings on four points, with Verstappen ninth on 12, underscoring Red Bull’s challenging start.
- He traces the journey to a 2021 meeting in Monaco with Helmut Marko that led to a junior deal, a moment he and his parents saw as a relief and hard to believe.