Red Bull rarely promotes without purpose – and when it does, expectations arrive immediately. As Isack Hadjar prepares for the biggest step of his young career, Laurent Mekies has laid out exactly what he wants to see when the Frenchman lines up alongside Max Verstappen this season.
Hadjar’s promotion from Racing Bulls comes after a rookie campaign that began in chaos but quickly turned into a statement.
The 21-year-old’s first moments in Formula 1 were unforgettable for the wrong reasons. A spin on the rain-soaked formation lap at the Australian Grand Prix threatened to define his debut year before it had properly started. Instead, it became the spark for a sharp recovery.
Points finishes followed. Confidence grew. Then came a maiden podium at Zandvoort last summer – a clear signal that Red Bull’s junior pipeline had delivered once again.
Outstanding Speed and Development
Looking back on Hadjar’s efforts, Mekies was unequivocal about the impression the young gun made.
“Isack has had an unbelievable first season. There is no doubt that in terms of starting point – so where he started in January – the starting point was outstanding,” said the Red Bull chief.
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But for Mekies, the story wasn’t just about natural speed. It was about how quickly that speed evolved.
“Then we are strong believers not only in the raw talent, but also the ability of the drivers to develop. We have seen so many champions developing through the years, doing things that they had not done in the car a few races before.
“We've seen that with Isack this year too. We’ve seen him making stuff in the car that he was not doing three races before.”
That capacity to learn, adapt and add new layers to his driving is what convinced Red Bull to make the call – even with the pressure of partnering a four-time world champion.
A New Beginning, Not a Final Destination
Hadjar has replaced Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull for 2026, stepping into one of the most scrutinised seats in Formula 1. But Mekies is keen to frame the move not as an arrival, but as a reset.
“To answer your question, we expect – we would like him to continue onto that path. We don't see it as a landing point,” Mekies explained.
“We see it as another start for him to continue to develop, to continue to impress us, to continue to surprise us. And you will expect that in the second year. You will expect that in the third year, perhaps in the fourth year. So that's a little bit the journey for us together.”
©RedBull
It’s a revealing message. Red Bull is not demanding instant perfection from Hadjar – but it is demanding momentum. Growth. Proof that his steep upward curve hasn’t flattened.
In a team built on relentless standards and internal competition, Hadjar’s promotion is both a reward and a challenge. Red Bull believes the potential is there.
Now, as Mekies makes clear, the expectation is simple: keep moving forward – and don’t stop surprising them.
Read also: Hadjar chooses ‘acceptance’ over illusion ahead of Red Bull debut
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