Hadjar to stay as Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate for 2027

Frenchman Isack Hadjar will remain Max Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate for the 2027 season. The 21‑year‑old was promoted to the senior squad this season after a rookie year with Racing Bulls and has consistently matched Verstappen’s pace more closely than any teammate since Daniel Ricciardo in 2018. His best result this year came with a third‑place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described the decision as "an casual decision". Mekies said: "Since joining america astatine the commencement of the year, Isack has been superb connected and disconnected track, particularly considering this is lone his 2nd F1 season." Hadjar returns to Red Bull for this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after missing the previous three races with a fractured wrist, an injury sustained while boxing as part of his training programme. Mekies added: "You could spot from his archetypal play successful Melbourne that helium handled the measurement up with singular composure and had earned his spot successful this seat." He also noted: "The play since his wounded has been a hard 1 for Isack, but this hold shows however overmuch we judge successful him." Hadjar said: "I came to this squad 8 months agone and instantly understood the standard and ambition of this organisation." He added: "There are truthful galore talented radical astatine the factory, and you're alert of the privilege of driving for specified an unthinkable squad alongside a four-time satellite champion similar Max." Furthermore, he stated: "I'm perpetually looking to listen, larn and propulsion myself further each azygous day, which lone makes maine much excited astir what lies ahead." Over the first half of the season, Hadjar was 0.239 seconds slower than Verstappen on average in qualifying and has out‑qualified the Dutchman three times—in Australia, Japan and Britain. In Silverstone Verstappen ran a down‑on‑power engine, while in Australia the Dutchman crashed at the start of qualifying. Verstappen signed a two‑year extension to his contract in August, which now runs to the end of 2030.