Red Bull Racing has officially announced that Isack Hadjar will stay beside Max Verstappen as his teammate for the 2027 Formula One campaign. The French driver, who joined the squad at the beginning of the current season after a standout rookie year with Racing Bulls in 2025, missed the last three Grands Prix because of a wrist injury sustained during a summer training session. He is now cleared to race and will return to the grid at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this Saturday, an event that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. The confirmation comes shortly after Red Bull revealed that four‑time world champion Max Verstappen has extended his contract to remain with the team until at least the end of 2030.
Team principal Laurent Mekies praised Hadjar’s progress, saying, "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Isack. Since his arrival at the start of the year, he has impressed both on‑track and off‑track, especially given that this is only his second season in Formula 1.
Extending his deal was therefore a straightforward decision." Mekies added that Hadjar immersed himself in the team environment from day one, spending countless hours in the Milton Keynes factory working closely with his engineers to develop the car. "His composure during his debut weekend in Melbourne was remarkable, and he quickly earned the right to sit in the second Red Bull seat." The second seat at Red Bull 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 consistently been closer to the Dutch driver than many of his predecessors and has even out‑performed him on a few occasions this year, which has helped to silence any lingering doubts about his suitability for the role. Despite the three‑race absence, Hadjar remains eighth in the Drivers’ Championship and reclaimed a podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix after Red Bull and McLaren successfully appealed a penalty that had originally stripped Pierre Gasly of his result. Mekies noted, "The period following his injury was challenging for Isack, but this contract extension demonstrates the confidence we have in his abilities.
We look forward to seeing him back in the car and contributing to our goals for the remainder of the season." Sky Sports F1 analyst Craig Slater commented, "Hadjar missed the last three rounds after injuring his arm and wrist while hitting a heavy bag during his boxing training. He has recovered, is back for the Baku weekend, and will be Verstappen’s teammate in 2027.
Liam Lawson filled in admirably, but no one was surprised that Red Bull chose to retain Hadjar. He has arguably been Verstappen’s most competitive teammate since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure." Hadjar himself expressed enthusiasm about staying with Oracle Red Bull Racing: "I’m extremely excited to continue with this team. I joined eight months ago and instantly grasped the scale and ambition of the organisation. There are countless talented people at the factory, and driving alongside a four‑time champion like Max is a privilege.
From the moment I signed, I committed myself to the team, 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 drivers’ press conference in Baku, Hadjar said he had been completely relaxed about the contract talks, admitting he wasn’t even aware of the exact length of the new deal. "I let my management handle the negotiations.
I focus on the track, and that’s it. It was very easy," he explained. When asked whether the agreement covered multiple years, he replied, "I don’t really know.
I don’t worry about it. If you perform well, you stay." He also gave an update on his wrist injury, describing it as a small fracture on the outer side of the wrist that required a lengthy, non‑surgical recovery.
"It’s still painful, but after six weeks it feels strong enough to handle the stresses of racing. The simulator test went well, and the cockpit feels almost identical to the virtual environment, so I’m confident I’ll be fine on track. The training sessions have been dull because I could only use my left arm, but I’m eager to get back to full fitness." Hadjar confirmed that 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, though he acknowledged he will be more cautious in the future: "Next time I’ll think twice, maybe strap my wrist, but there are no bans. I’m not a child; I just need to be smarter about it." The top four teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull—have now locked in their driver line‑ups through 2027, leaving only a handful of seats open elsewhere.
Alpine, Williams and Cadillac have already secured their 2027 drivers, while Audi will retain Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg. The remaining vacancies belong to Racing Bulls, Haas and Aston Martin. Fernando Alonso’s future remains uncertain; his potential retirement could free up a seat at Aston Martin, but he has indicated that a decision will not come soon, citing dissatisfaction with the current regulations.
The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has hinted at accelerating the development of Aston Martin’s new Honda power unit to address some of the sport’s technical concerns. In the midfield, Britain’s Oliver Bearman is expected to stay at Haas, but his teammate Esteban Ocon may be displaced as Haas is rumored to give Ferrari junior Rafael Camara his F1 debut in 2027 after a strong Formula 2 campaign. Red Bull’s own junior program continues to produce talent, with Nikola Tsolov leading the current F2 championship.
The team faces a difficult decision regarding its Racing Bulls drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson, both of whom have performed admirably this season; dropping either would be a harsh move. The upcoming Azerbaijan weekend features a packed schedule: Friday will host F2 practice, sprint and the F1 qualifying build‑up; Saturday includes the F2 Feature Race 2, the Grand Prix itself, and post‑race analysis; Sunday will see the F2 Feature Race 1 and the final F1 race commentary. All sessions will be streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event, with the Grand Prix also available via NOW streaming, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option for viewers.
Overall, Hadjar’s contract extension underscores Red Bull’s confidence in his talent and their commitment to maintaining a stable, high‑performing driver lineup as they continue to chase championships in the coming years.