French racing sensation Isack Hadjar is setting his sights high, aiming to match the impressive record of Red Bull’s reigning four-time champion, Max Verstappen. As he gears up to join the Formula 1 grid with Red Bull’s junior team VCARB in the 2025 season, Hadjar makes no secret of his ambitions, confidently stating he doesn’t want to merely participate in F1 but seeks to make a significant mark.
Could Hadjar be the next Verstappen for Red Bull? This is the question many in the motorsport world are asking, as the entry of a fresh wave of young talent breathes new life into Formula 1. In recent years, there has been a logjam of young racers trying to carve their niche in the sport, but the 2025 F1 season promises to be different, ushering in a new era with a plethora of fresh faces on the grid.
Among the rookies making their full-time debut in the 2025 season are Oliver Bearman and Jack Doohan, who will be racing for Haas and Alpine respectively. Joining them in this promising new cohort are Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, the latter being the reigning Formula 2 champion.
Last season saw Hadjar finish as runner-up to Bortoleto, yet the French racer arrives in F1 with his sights set on future title glory. His ambition is to achieve the same level of success as Verstappen, who himself is seeking an unprecedented fifth consecutive World Championship in 2025.
Speaking to RacingNews365.com, Hadjar expressed his confidence in matching Verstappen’s achievements, saying, “I have confidence. I don’t want to be an F1 driver just to be in F1. I want to do well.”
With the Melbourne grid nearly ready for the F1 2025 rookies, Hadjar has been actively testing and honing his skills, identifying qualifying performance as an area needing improvement ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Sharing his experiences with the media, including PlanetF1.com, he admitted to adjusting swiftly to the pace of F1 racing, but acknowledged the challenges of extracting maximum performance from his vehicle in short runs.
Reflecting on his first full race distance, Hadjar mentioned it was a learning experience and that he had gathered valuable insights. He expressed optimism about his readiness for Melbourne, stating, “I feel I’m as ready as possible.”
Hadjar’s confident outlook and ambitious goals have set the stage for an exciting F1 2025 season. It remains to be seen whether this promising new driver can turn his aspirations into reality and possibly become Red Bull’s next Verstappen.