Red Bull F1 prospect Isack Hadjar impresses in 2025; Mekies believes he’s prepared for a top-tier drive despite his own caution.
That’s the view of Laurent Mekies, team principal of Racing Bulls, after the 20-year-old rookie admitted in Montreal that he was “not ready” to be Max Verstappen’s teammate.
Hadjar has been the standout rookie of the 2025 season so far, even according to his rivals, fueling speculation that Red Bull could part ways with Yuki Tsunoda sooner than expected.
“He’s having an exceptional season,” Mekies said in Montreal.
“Maybe only Helmut Marko saw all of this coming.”
However, Mekies’ boss, Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer, joked this week that he would “handcuff” Hadjar to the junior team so he could gain more experience before being put up against Verstappen. Others have urged Red Bull not to burn out their new talent too soon against the four-time world champion.
“He’s in a very important phase of development right now,” Mekies acknowledged. “But a driver is always ready to step into a faster F1 car. He said it himself on Thursday – he’s curious.”
If Hadjar does earn an early promotion, there’s no doubt Arvid Lindblad would be the next contender for a seat at Racing Bulls. This week, the FIA approved Red Bull’s request for an early super licence for the British-Swedish driver, who is only 17.
“Arvid is gaining experience in Formula 2 but still has room to grow. We’ll assess him as soon as the opportunity arises.”
Free Practice 1 sessions are expected to be part of his program this summer and at the end of the season.
