Bayer: Give incredible Hadjar the chance to grow and learn

A product of the Red Bull Formula 1 driver programme, Hadjar has been one of the standout rookies in 2025, scoring 22 points in his debut Formula 1 campaign to sit as the second-best rookie in the standings.

His rise has coincided with Tsunoda’s struggles at Red Bull Racing, although the Japanese driver has found renewed backing since the arrival of Laurent Mekies in July.

Speaking to NextGen-Auto, Bayer dismissed talk of an imminent switch for Hadjar and underlined the team’s focus: “I was joking, honestly! Internally, we all agree on the need to get through this year calmly, everyone focusing on their own job.

"I’m sure that after the summer break, discussions will begin for 2026 with Laurent, Helmut and Red Bull management, but honestly, in 2025 we want to stay calm and, speaking of Isack, give him the chance to grow and learn. Frankly, he’s incredible," declared Bayer

Bayer recalled a moment from the Austrian Grand Prix that confirmed to him the rookie’s exceptional ability. “I was listening to the radio when he came into the pits. His race engineer [Pierre Hamelin] told him: ‘Look, Isack, you’re losing about half a tenth in Turn 6.’

"Isack said: ‘Can you be more precise?’ Pierre replied: ‘Yes, you’re losing 0.035 seconds in that corner.’ And Isack said: ‘OK, then I know what to do.’ And he did it.”

The Racing Bulls chief said such precision and adaptability set Hadjar apart: “For me, it’s as simple as this: his ability behind the wheel is above the rest. Honestly, I think we’re going to see great things from him. He works hard, he’s demanding, and he’s improving. Isack is a great driver. He’s excellent, but he needs this extra year with us, and everyone agrees that’s what we should do," added Bayer.

In retrospect, the reality is that Red Bull shot themselves in the foot by ditching Sergio Perez and gambling on Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's teammate. That experiment lasted just two races before the Kiwi was demoted back to Racing Bulls, and Yuki Tsunoda, who had talked himself up for the role, got the nod.

Tsunoda quickly became Verstappen’s next “victim” as the Japanese driver continues to struggle, now 13 races into his time in the number two seat at Red Bull. For now, Tsunoda seems safe as the team tries to figure out the car and turn Red Bull back into a potent one-car outfit. At the moment, they are almost a zero-car team.

The Red Bull RB21 has proven a handful to drive, damaging the reputations of both Lawson and Tsunoda. In contrast, the VCARB02 is a points-scoring machine and a regular Q2 contender. Hadjar may want to avoid a 2025 promotion to the senior team, as it appears to be a poisoned chalice that could end badly.

If Hadjar maintains his current momentum, 2026 could be the ideal moment for a Red Bull promotion. The new F1 rules will reset the field in terms of next-generation car development, with all drivers experiencing them for the first time and no cars yet tailored to a particular driver.

That stage would favour a driver with a solid year of experience in the junior team, like Hadjar, making the move to the senior outfit when the playing field is as level as it will ever be against Verstappen.