IsackHadjar

Early Career and Junior Formula Ascent

Isack Alexandre Hadjar, born in Paris on September 28, 2004, to an Algerian family, embarked on his motorsport journey at the age of seven, inspired by the animated film *Cars* and Formula One. His father, Yassine Hadjar, a quantum mechanics researcher, also served as his kart mechanic, providing an early foundation in the sport. Hadjar, who holds dual Algerian and French citizenship, initially competed in national karting championships before progressing to the international scene in 2017, culminating in a 22nd-place finish in the 2018 Karting World Championship. His transition to single-seater racing began in 2019 in the French F4 Championship. Despite initial challenges related to his height, which affected his ability to fully depress the pedals, Hadjar secured his first single-seater victory at Spa during the third round. He added another podium finish at Circuit de Lédenon and concluded the season seventh in the standings, placing second in the junior class. The 2020 French F4 season saw Hadjar build on this foundation, achieving regular podiums and securing three victories, including two at Paul Ricard. With eight further podiums and two pole positions, he finished third in the drivers' standings, emerging as the highest-placed French driver. Hadjar's progression continued into the Formula Regional category in 2021. He made an immediate impact in the F3 Asian Championship, securing multiple podiums in the rounds he contested, ultimately finishing sixth despite being a part-time entrant. His primary campaign was in the Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) with R-ace GP. Here, he claimed his first points and rookie win at Imola, followed by a podium in Barcelona. A significant moment arrived with his maiden Formula Regional victory from pole position on the streets of Monaco. He finished the season fifth in the standings, just four points behind teammate Zane Maloney, and earned the title of best rookie. The 2022 season saw Hadjar further hone his skills in the Formula Regional Asian Championship with Hitech Grand Prix, where he secured two victories and multiple podiums, finishing third overall.

FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 Endeavors

The 2022 season marked Hadjar's debut in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix. He started strongly, inheriting victory in the Sakhir sprint race. Throughout the season, Hadjar demonstrated his racecraft, securing a podium in Imola and another sprint race win at Silverstone, where he overtook Victor Martins on the penultimate lap. His performance peaked with a pole position and a dominant lights-to-flag feature race victory in rainy conditions at Spielberg, which propelled him into championship contention. Despite a challenging end to the season, including a crash in Monza qualifying, Hadjar finished fourth in the drivers' standings with three wins, one pole, and five podiums. He later returned to Formula 3 for the 2023 Macau Grand Prix, finishing seventh in the main race. Hadjar advanced to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2023, joining Hitech alongside fellow Red Bull junior Jak Crawford. His rookie season presented a steep learning curve, characterized by flashes of potential amidst mechanical issues and strategic challenges. Highlights included a seventh-place finish in the Bahrain feature race, a charge from 18th to eighth in the Baku sprint (though demoted), and a third-place promotion in the Austrian sprint race after a strategic gamble on slick tyres paid off on a drying track. Despite a pole position for the Monaco sprint race, a mechanical failure denied him a potential victory. He concluded his rookie F2 season 14th in the standings with 55 points. The 2024 F2 season, with Campos Racing, proved to be Hadjar's breakout year, earning him the nickname "le Petit Prost" in French media. After a challenging start, including retirements in Jeddah, he secured his first F2 sprint race victory in Melbourne, though a penalty demoted him to sixth. He quickly followed this with his maiden feature race win in the same event, demonstrating strong race management after a safety car. His impressive qualifying form continued, leading to a second successive feature race win at Imola, where he defended against Gabriel Bortoleto. A strong run included a second-place finish in Monaco and consistent points finishes. At Silverstone, he claimed his first F2 pole position and, despite a sprint race retirement, bounced back to win the feature race, taking the championship lead. He further extended his lead with a fourth win of the season in Belgium, holding off title rival Bortoleto. However, a series of challenging rounds in Monza and Baku, coupled with a stall at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, saw him lose the championship to Bortoleto, finishing runner-up with four wins, eight podiums, one pole position, and 192 points.

Formula 1 Ascent and Debut

Isack Hadjar's affiliation with the Red Bull Junior Team began in 2022, signaling his potential for Formula 1. He gained his first taste of F1 machinery through free practice sessions, making his debut at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix with AlphaTauri. Despite admitting "apprehension" before his first F1 drive, he performed creditably, finishing 17th in both Mexico and later in Abu Dhabi with Red Bull. In 2024, he continued his free practice duties, participating in the British and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, and was promoted to reserve driver for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls from the United States Grand Prix onwards. His pace in the post-season Abu Dhabi rookie test, where he was faster than future teammate Yuki Tsunoda, garnered praise from team principal Christian Horner. Hadjar's full-time Formula 1 career commenced in 2025 with Racing Bulls, partnering Yuki Tsunoda. His debut at the Australian Grand Prix was marked by an unfortunate incident, as he crashed on the formation lap, preventing him from starting the race despite qualifying 11th. He quickly recovered, securing his maiden F1 points finish with an eighth-place at the Japanese Grand Prix, now partnered by Liam Lawson. Throughout his rookie season, Hadjar demonstrated a consistent ability to score points, including a tenth-place finish in Saudi Arabia and Miami, and strong performances in Emilia Romagna (9th), Monaco (6th), and Spain (7th), which propelled him to ninth in the World Drivers' Championship temporarily. A significant highlight of his rookie season came at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he qualified fourth. In the race, Hadjar maintained his position against established frontrunners like Charles Leclerc and George Russell, ultimately capitalizing on Lando Norris's retirement to clinch third place. This achievement made him the fifth-youngest podium finisher in Formula One history and the first Arab driver to stand on an F1 podium. He continued to add to his points tally with finishes in Azerbaijan (10th), São Paulo (8th), and Las Vegas (6th after post-race disqualifications). Hadjar concluded his impressive rookie F1 season 12th in the Drivers' Championship with 51 points. His strong performances in 2025 were duly recognized, leading to the announcement in December 2025 that Isack Hadjar would be promoted to the senior Red Bull Racing team for the 2026 season, where he will partner Max Verstappen.