Isack Hadjar believes Laurent Mekies’ appointment as Team Principal at Red Bull will be “useful” for his own Formula 1 aspirations with the side in 2026.
Mekies will take charge of the Milton Keynes-based squad for the first time this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The Frenchman was placed at the helm of affairs at Red Bull after its board decided to sack Christian Horner with immediate effect earlier this month.
Hadjar, who worked under Mekies at Racing Bulls this season, is being touted as a staunch favourite to drive for the main team onwards amid a breakout rookie campaign.
“I can’t hide it’s useful. That’s for sure,” he told media including Motorsport Week at the Belgian Grand Prix.
“12 more races, so yeah, I need to keep pushing. You’re as good as your last race, all the time.”
Hadjar’s relationship with the ex-Ferrari Sporting Director might also pay dividends in his bid to prove his worth to the higher-ups at Red Bull throughout the rest of the season.
“If I had to work with him, it would be easier, that’s for sure. We sound more familiar, so yeah, I would say so,” he continued.
“To me, it’s always useful to work with someone who has an engineering background. As a driver, it’s always more helpful. We were really close together, and he’s still around.”
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko christened Hadjar “the revelation” of the season, and the 20-year-old has expressed that his debut season has gone better than he envisaged.
“It’s been a very up-and-down first 12 races. That’s expected when you’re fighting in the midfield,” Hadjar explained.
“There’s a very fine margin between getting in the top 10 and being way outside of it.
“I’m just on the learning phase so far. It’s been a bit better than I anticipated, that’s for sure, performance-wise, road speed-wise. So it’s great.”
Hadjar unperturbed by Horner’s Red Bull exit
When Red Bull announced Horner’s departure, the entire paddock was shocked.
Hadjar was no exception, revealing that he was also caught off guard and only came to know of the decision on the day that the bombshell departure transpired.
“I was at the factory on the sim. So I was there,” he divulged.
That said, Hadjar is adamant that it is business as usual at Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
“Yeah, I mean [the sacking was] major, but to be fair it doesn’t really change much for me,” he asserted.
“Honestly, we had a chat this morning. I’m not saying this to lie, but it doesn’t change anything to our weekend.”
Instead, Hadjar feels motivated than ever to establish himself within the sport, now with paddock veteran Alan Permane in charge – someone he regards very highly, too.
“Alan is someone I know really well. Obviously, he was always quiet. Maybe you don’t see him often, but he’s a big part of the team so far,” he added.
“I think he’s the one, next to my race engineer, the one I’ve worked with the most. It’s the guy who takes the final decision on car setup.
“He’s been very close to Laurent. Laurent has built something very solid over the last two years, and now he’s just taking it. It doesn’t change anything to the team and to my approach.”
But that doesn’t mean the team have easily moved on from Mekies’ departure, who Hadjar says was a very special and integral part of the Faenza-based squad.
“I think Laurent was really appreciated in the team,” he concluded.
“A bit of sadness, obviously. But we are not as concerned; it is just a bit sad that he’s leaving, but that’s how it is.”
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