Isack Hadjar is approaching his promotion to Red Bull with a level of realism rarely heard from drivers stepping into Formula 1’s most demanding seat. Ahead of his first season alongside Max Verstappen, the Frenchman has openly accepted that early struggles are not only likely, but unavoidable.

Rather than framing the challenge as a battle to immediately match the four-time world champion, Hadjar is choosing patience and perspective, helped by the fact that Red Bull’s 2026 car will be built under an entirely new set of regulations.

“It’s a new car. It’s not like Max knows the car, we all start from scratch. I feel very, very lucky in the way I’m coming to Red Bull, so it’s going to be very beneficial. If the car has to go in one direction, then I’ll be here as well and maybe it's from my input. So, I'm excited,” Hadjar said, as quoted by RacingNews365.

Red Bull’s second seat has long been regarded as one of the most unforgiving roles in the sport. Verstappen’s preference for an aggressive, nervous front end has repeatedly left team-mates unable to extract performance, regardless of reputation or experience.

Hadjar, however, believes his rapid rise through the junior categories may help him avoid the trap that caught others out.

“It is. I'm not used to anything. I just drive what I'm given. So it's a very good advantage,” French driver added.

In just five years, he has raced under five different technical rulebooks, moving from Formula Regional through FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2, before reaching Formula 1 at the end of the current ground-effect era. That constant reset, he feels, has shaped his mindset heading into Red Bull.

Rather than chasing Verstappen immediately, Hadjar has already set himself a clear mental framework for the opening phase of the season.

“If anything, the goal is to accept that I’m going to be slower the first month. I think that, if you go into that mindset, you accept already that it’s going to be very tough… looking at the data and seeing things you can’t achieve yet. It’s going to be very frustrating. But if you know, then you’re more prepared,” Red Bull driver explained.

Since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure at the end of 2018, Red Bull has rotated through multiple drivers in its second car, with none managing to sustain long-term success next to Verstappen. When Formula 1 lines up in Melbourne for the 2026 season opener, Hadjar will become the fourth driver to partner the Dutchman in just 16 months.