Red Bull Racing has officially announced that Isack Hadjar will stay alongside four‑time world champion Max Verstappen for the 2027 Formula One campaign. The French youngster, who joined the team at the beginning of the current season after a standout debut with Racing Bulls in 2025, missed the final three rounds of the year because of a wrist injury sustained during a summer‑break boxing session. He has now recovered sufficiently to return to competition at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, a race that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
The confirmation comes on the heels of a separate statement made last month confirming Verstappen's own contract extension, which now runs at least until the close of the 2030 season. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Hadjar’s progress, saying, "We are thrilled to keep Isack with us. Since he arrived at the start of the year, his performance on‑track and his professionalism off‑track have been exemplary, especially given that this is only his second season in Formula 1. Extending his deal was therefore a straightforward choice." Mekies added that Hadjar quickly immersed himself in the team environment, spending countless hours in the Milton Keynes factory working side‑by‑side with his engineers to fine‑tune the car.
"From his very first weekend in Melbourne, he showed remarkable composure for a rookie and proved he belonged in this seat," the team principal noted. The second Red Bull seat is widely regarded as the most demanding on the grid. Former teammates such as Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have all found it difficult to match Verstappen’s pace.
Hadjar, however, has already demonstrated that he can compete closely with the Dutch driver, even edging him out on a few occasions this season, which has insulated his position from the usual scrutiny that accompanies the role. Despite his three‑race absence, Hadjar remains eighth in the Drivers' Championship and reclaimed a podium finish at Monaco after Red Bull and McLaren successfully appealed a penalty that had originally stripped Pierre Gasly of his result. Mekies described the period following Hadjar’s injury as "challenging," but emphasized that the new contract reflects the team’s confidence in his talent and their belief that he will continue to develop. Sky Sports F1 analyst Craig Slater explained, "Hadjar missed the last three rounds after injuring his wrist while hitting a heavy bag in his boxing training.
He’s now back for the Baku race and will partner Verstappen in 2027. In his absence, Liam Lawson performed admirably, but most observers expected Hadjar to retain the seat. He has arguably been Verstappen’s toughest teammate since Daniel Ricciardo left the team." Hadjar himself expressed enthusiasm about the extension: "I’m very excited to stay with Oracle Red Bull Racing. I joined eight months ago and immediately grasped the scale and ambition of this operation.
There are countless talented people at the factory, and driving for a team of this calibre alongside a four‑time champion is a privilege. From day one I’ve committed myself to the project, and with the support of Laurent and everyone in Milton Keynes I’ve been able to justify the faith they placed in me. Every day I aim to listen, learn and push my limits further." During the post‑qualifying press conference in Baku, Hadjar said he had been completely relaxed about the renewal talks, even admitting he was unaware of the exact length of the new deal.
"I let my representatives handle the negotiations," he said. "I focus on what I do on the track, and the rest falls into place. If you perform well, you stay – it’s that simple." When asked about his wrist injury, Hadjar described a small fracture on the outer side of his wrist that required a lengthy, non‑surgical recovery. "It’s still a bit painful, but after about six weeks it’s strong enough to handle the forces in the car," he explained.
He added that simulator work had gone well and that the virtual environment feels almost identical to the real cockpit, giving him confidence that he will be ready for the race weekend. The injury occurred during a routine boxing workout, a part of his cross‑training regimen. Red Bull has not imposed any new restrictions on his training, but Hadjar said he will be more cautious in the future.
"Next time I’ll think twice and maybe strap my wrist up," he laughed, noting that he is not a child and understands the need for prudence. Looking beyond Red Bull, the top four teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull—have all locked in their driver line‑ups for 2027. Alpine, Williams and Cadillac have also secured their rosters, while Audi will keep Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg together. The remaining teams—Racing Bulls, Haas and Aston Martin—still have decisions to make.
Aston Martin’s seat could open if Fernando Alonso decides to retire, a move that would have a ripple effect across the market. Alonso has hinted that his future decision will not come soon, expressing dissatisfaction with the current regulations and prompting FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to comment on the need to accelerate the development of Aston Martin’s new Honda power unit. In the midfield, Britain’s Oliver Bearman is expected to remain at Haas, but his teammate Esteban Ocon may lose his drive as Haas is rumored to promote Ferrari junior Rafael Camara for the 2027 season after his impressive Formula 2 performances.
Red Bull’s own junior programme continues to produce talent, with Nikola Tsolov leading the F2 championship and likely to receive an F1 opportunity soon. However, the team faces a delicate balancing act because both Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson have delivered strong results this year, making any decision to drop a driver politically and competitively sensitive. The upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend schedule is as follows: Thursday, September 24 – F2 practice, qualifying and team press conference; Friday, September 25 – F2 sprint, F2 feature race, and F1 qualifying sessions; Saturday, September 26 – F2 feature race 2, Grand Prix start, and post‑race analysis; Sunday – the main Grand Prix event with live coverage on Sky Sports Main Event.
The race will be streamed via NOW, allowing viewers to cancel at any time. Overall, Hadjar’s contract renewal underscores Red Bull’s commitment to nurturing young talent while maintaining a competitive edge.
With a healthy driver lineup secured through 2027, the team can focus on technical development and championship ambitions, leaving the rest of the grid to scramble for the remaining seats and hope for a breakthrough in the next season.