Red Bull confirm Isack Hadjar will remain Verstappen team-mate for 2027
Isack Hadjar will drive at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after missing three races with a wrist injury, and Red Bull have confirmed he will stay as Max Verstappen's team-mate for the 2027 season, the team announced on 23 September 2026.
The 21-year-old was promoted to Red Bull's senior line-up this season following a rookie year with Racing Bulls and recorded his best finish of the campaign with third place at the Monaco Grand Prix. Red Bull say Hadjar has matched closer qualifying pace to Verstappen than any of his team-mates since Daniel Ricciardo in 2018, a point the team highlighted in their announcement.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described the decision as "an easy decision" and praised Hadjar's start with the squad. Mekies said: "Since joining us at the start of the year, Isack has been superb on and off track, especially considering this is only his second F1 season."
The team confirmed Hadjar missed the past three races after breaking his wrist while boxing as part of his training programme but will return for Azerbaijan. Mekies added: "You could see from his first weekend in Melbourne that he handled the step up with remarkable composure and had earned his place in this seat. "The period since his injury has been a difficult one for Isack, but this extension shows how much we believe in him."
Hadjar commented on his move and time at the team in a statement released by Red Bull, saying: "I came to this team eight months ago and immediately understood the scale and ambition of this organisation. "There are so many talented people at the factory, and you're aware of the privilege of driving for such an incredible team alongside a four-time world champion like Max. "I'm constantly looking to listen, learn and push myself further every single day, which only makes me more excited about what lies ahead."
Across the first half of the season Red Bull published qualifying comparisons showing Hadjar was on average 0.239 seconds slower than Verstappen and that he out-qualified the Dutchman three times, in Australia, Japan and Britain. The team noted in its report that Verstappen experienced a down-on-power engine in Silverstone and crashed at the start of qualifying in Australia.
The announcement follows Verstappen signing a two-year contract extension in August that runs to the end of 2030, a development Red Bull referenced when confirming their driver lineup for the coming seasons.
Hadjar will return to Red Bull's car for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.