Rising star Isack Hadjar says he would embrace “an incredible opportunity” to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull next season, should the team promote him from their sister outfit, Racing Bulls.

The 21-year-old French driver is widely viewed as the leading candidate to replace Yuki Tsunoda in 2026, with reports indicating that Red Bull is expected to announce Verstappen’s new teammate next week.

Fully aware of the scale of the challenge, Hadjar believes sharing a garage with Verstappen would be a pivotal moment in his development.

“Against my teammates, I’ve always been stronger,” he told AFP in Doha ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix and sprint weekend. “But alongside the best in the world, it’s an incredible opportunity to learn.”

Hadjar makes no attempt to hide the difficulty of going up against a four-time world champion.
When asked whether he could beat Verstappen if they became teammates, he answered bluntly: “No.”

“He’s better in every aspect—he drives better, makes fewer mistakes, and he has more experience,” said Hadjar, who has impressed during his rookie season and claimed his first podium with third place at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Hadjar currently sits ninth in the championship with 51 points.

Verstappen, meanwhile, remains in contention for a fifth straight title heading into the final two race weekends. He enters the penultimate round tied with Oscar Piastri, both trailing McLaren’s Lando Norris by 24 points.