Red Bull has given a vote of confidence to Isack Hadjar, extending his contract to drive for the team again next year.

Hadjar made his debut in Formula 1 last year with Red Bull’s second team, Racing Bulls, before being promoted to their leading squad this year.

“Since joining us at the start of the year, he has been superb on and off track,” said team principal Laurent Mekies, “especially considering this is only his second Formula 1 season, which made extending his contract an easy decision.”

Although Hadjar did not compete in the last three rounds due to injury, Hadjar made an impressive start to life at Red Bull, taking a podium finish in his sixth appearance in Monaco. Before being forced out due to injury he had scored 71 points to Verstappen’s 109.

Red Bull has struggled to find an effective team mate to pair Verstappen with. The team handed Sergio Perez a two-year contract extension during 2024 but dropped him at the end of the year for Liam Lawson. Perez’s replacement lasted just two rounds at the start of last year before Red Bull dropped him. Yuki Tsunoda, who replaced Lawson, ended the season with the largest points deficit to a team mate ever seen in F1, leading Red Bull to make another change.

Mekies said Hadjar performed well from the outset after moving up to Red Bull. He will race for the team this weekend in Baku for the first time since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July.

“You could see from that first weekend in Melbourne that he handled the step up with remarkable composure and had earned his place in this seat,” said Mekies. “The period since his injury has been a difficult one for Isack, but this extension is a testament to how much we believe in him and we can’t wait to see him back out on track.”

Hadjar said he is “really excited” by his new deal. “From the moment I signed, I set out to dedicate myself to the team, and with the support of Laurent and everyone in Milton Keynes, I’ve been able to justify the faith they’ve had in me,” he said. “I’m constantly looking to listen, learn and push myself further every single day, which only makes me more excited about what lies ahead.”

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