Formula 1‘s latest podium visitor, Isack Hadjar, has already staked his claim as rookie of the season, but the story could have been different after his debut in Australia.
The 2024 Formula 2 runner-up’s race Down Under ended before it even started, with the Frenchman crashing his Racing Bulls machine on the formation lap at Turn 2.
While he wasn’t the only driver to end the season opener in the barriers due to the tricky conditions, a rather dejected Hadjar described his debut as “just embarrassing”.
However, after some kind words from Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony, back in the paddock, Hadjar quickly started to show the potential that had been widely anticipated.
The Frenchman has been a consistent threat to the top 10 in 2025, with six points finishes to his name prior to F1’s summer break.
A run to the top six on the streets of Monte Carlo had been Hadjar’s standout drive before a remarkable run to his maiden podium on F1’s return at Zandvoort.
And with the seat alongside Max Verstappen still yet to be decided for next season, Hadjar might just have cemented himself a promotion to the senior squad already.
How Hadjar put a tough start to 2025 behind him
Despite his self-proclaimed “embarrassing” debut in Melbourne, Hadjar quickly put that disappointment behind him and started to string together a decent run of results.
Having just missed out on points next time out in China, Hadjar stormed into Q3 in Japan, taking seventh on the grid and outqualifying his hero Hamilton in the process.
Crossing the line in eighth place saw the rookie earn his first-ever points, though fellow rookie Kimi Antonelli overshadowed that by becoming F1’s youngest race leader.
However, Hadjar used Suzuka as a springboard to score in four of the next six races, including a well-executed drive in Monaco to take a then career-best finish of sixth.
While Liam Lawson was still getting back up to speed after his demotion from Red Bull, Hadjar guaranteed that Racing Bulls remained competitive within a tight midfield.
A huge step towards a Red Bull promotion?
Following a slight drop in results, Hadjar shocked the paddock in Holland, not only returning to the top 10, but securing a start on the second row of the grid.
The Frenchman beat Russell and the two Ferraris on his final Q3 run to line up fourth alongside the senior Red Bull of Verstappen.
Expected to slip backwards, Hadjar not only had an answer to Leclerc’s Ferrari and Russell’s Mercedes, but he was comfortably keeping Verstappen in his sights.
Hadjar held his nerve to survive numerous Safety Car restarts, too, holding strong in fourth as the race entered the latter stages.
And when Lando Norris’ McLaren pulled to the side of the track to retire with eight laps remaining, Hadjar was ready to claim the reward for his fine efforts.
A maiden trip to the rostrum sees Hadjar become not only the youngest French driver to stand on the podium, but the fastest Red Bull-backed driver to do so as well.
The record had stood with Sebastian Vettel with his stellar victory at Monza in 2008 coming in just 22 races, but Hadjar has completed the feat in just 14 Grand Prix.
And with the struggles surrounding the seat alongside Verstappen continuing, Hadjar may have just put the final nail in the coffin for Yuki Tsunoda’s chances for 2026.
Red Bull’s next superstar?
Despite the Japanese driver ending a run of eight races without points at Zandvoort, Tsunoda’s future beyond 2025 appears unlikely to be within the Red Bull stable.
Hadjar himself has been open to the media about not being ready to make the step up to the senior squad at Red Bull, especially after watching both his current and former team-mate become the latest in a growing line to struggle alongside Verstappen in a capricious machine.
However, it may be hard to turn down the opportunity to drive a potentially front-running car in F1’s new era in 2026.
And while recent Red Bull cars have clearly had a chronic driveability problem, the reversion to older-style underfloors may provide an opportunity to alleviate said problem.
Red Bull has a history of generating young talent, with Verstappen and Vettel as prime examples, and Hadjar has the pedigree to walk in their footsteps.
From believing it was over before it even started down under to potentially becoming the latest Red Bull superstar, Hadjar has produced quite a remarkable bounce back.
READ MORE – Red Bull quizzed on Isack Hadjar’s promotion prospects after maiden F1 podium
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