Red Bull: Isack Hadjar ‘turned heads’ by beating Yuki Tsunoda in F1 post-season test

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said Isack Hadjar “impressed” the team by outpacing Yuki Tsunoda in the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi post-season test.

Hadjar and Tsunoda will line-up as team-mates at Red Bull’s sister squad Racing Bulls next season after a series of announcements that came this week.

First Sergio Perez was let go on Wednesday with Liam Lawson selected as his replacement a day later, while Hadjar was announced at Racing Bulls on Friday.

Both Hadjar and Tsunoda partook in the Abu Dhabi post-season test, piloting the Red Bull RB20, with the Frenchman’s 1:24.632s lap time “turning heads” at the team.

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“Isack, he’s another talent – he jumped in the car, he was faster than Yuki in the test last week, which turned heads,” Horner said (via RACER). 

“He’s definitely a raw talent – he needs a little bit of polishing, but he has the speed.”

Hadjar was agonisingly forced into accepting vice-champion status in Formula 2 this year when his Campos machine stalled on the line in the title-deciding season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Despite the title loss, Hadjar’s campaign did enough to warrant an F1 promotion in light of Racing Bulls’ vacancy.

“He was unfortunate in Formula 2 to miss out at the last race due to technical glitches with start-line software, from what I understand, but he’s impressed as well,” Horner said. 

“Particularly with his speed. It will be interesting to see how things pan out.”

Hadjar has ‘always looked up to’ Tsunoda

Hadjar’s rookie campaign in 2025 will see him share the Racing Bulls garage with Tsunoda, who is set to embark on his fifth season with the Faenza-based outfit.

Upon learning of his promotion to F1, Hadjar revealed that he sees Tsunoda as somewhat of a role model.

“I’m very excited to step into my new role at VCARB, this is huge for myself, my family and all the people who have believed in me from the beginning,” Hadjar said.

“The journey from karting through the ranks in single-seaters, to now being in Formula 1 is the moment I’ve been working towards my whole life, it is the dream.

“I feel like I’m stepping into a whole new universe, driving a much faster car and racing with the best drivers in the world.

“It’ll be a huge learning curve, but I’m ready to work hard and do the best I can for the team.

“I look forward to working with and learning from Yuki, I’ve always looked up to him, he went through the Red Bull Junior Programme, like myself, and we’ve shared a similar path to F1.

“He’s very experienced and will be good to learn from.”

READ MORE – Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar promoted to Racing Bulls F1 2025 seat